I've devoted today's post to first listing and then consciously remembering a few of the best moments my childhood offered me. In no particular chronological order...
1. Hurtling down Highway 111 next to the San Jacinto mountains just before dusk with my dad, every window down and the wind whipping my hair.
2. Counting contractions with my mom waiting for my little sisters and brother to be born.
3. Riding horseback into the desert at sunrise to enjoy breakfast over a campfire.
4. Playing never ending games of Marco Polo, mostly under water, all summer long.
5. Reading whatever book captured my imagination under the covers at night.
6. Spending any number of hours riding swells and diving under breakers at Malibu.
7. Swimming with my mom so far out beyond those breakers that the lifeguards kept trying to wave us in.
8. Jumping from a rock formation into an icy pool at Big Bear with a few brave friends.
9. Nursing a pigeon who later became a friend back to health after my mother rescued him.
10. Playing tag through the streets of our neighborhood just before dusk, the scent of orange blossoms in the air.
11. Dancing across the living room with abandon to the accompaniment of whatever happened to be playing on our old Hi-fi.
12. Using a balloon to play wild games of hot potato throughout the house with my siblings. (sorry, mom)
13. Laying under the piano while my mom played her violin or my sister practiced whatever piece she was working on that week.
14. Cleaning sinks and mirrors on Saturday morning to the music of Johnny Mathis and the delight of my mother.
15. Square dancing at school on the arm of the boy I had a major crush on, then having him lift me clear off the floor to swing me around.
16. Participating in road shows and dance festivals before large audiences and feeling the excitement of being on stage. Singing in the a capella choir, blending my voice with others to perform the Magnificat in all its splendor.
17. Creating untold poems and stories and essays for my own enjoyment, as I began to understand that I was a writer.
18. Discovering the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and all that 60s music I loved listening to on KFWB and KRLA.
19. Listening to "Cherish" play on my clock radio before I went to sleep and dreaming that someday I would be cherished, too.
20. Having that dream come true when I met Dave at the age of 16. (Yep, that's the best childhood memory of all!)
I don't know what made me wax sentimental and nostalgic this morning, but thanks for taking this little journey with me. I do have some wonderful memories!
26 comments:
Awww what a cool idea today.
What? One of your favorite memories wasn't Nancy's rehearsal dinner/party or the morning of her wedding? Left me with a lifelong memory.....lol Love You
I love your list, such beautiful memories, just what childhood *should* be. I wonder if I'm making sure my own children have these type of memories? Something to pursue I think. I especially love #10-nothing like that scent! and #15-brought back memories as did #20-that's when I found my sweetheart as well. So glad you shared, and so glad I stopped by!
What happy memories! I hope that some of those can be recreated for my children.
Ha, I thought that said contradictions...not contractions! :)
heehee, Nancy.
I was recapturing FOND memories today...
;)
I find it absolutely fascinating the memories that become permanently fastened in our minds and I find myself endlessly wondering why it is that others vanish as quickly as they happen.
Hee Hee .... it's a FOND memory of mine.
Cherish was my mother's favorite song, too! And what wonderful memories you have. i especially love the one about tag and orange blossoms. Lovely!
I love that you had the kind of idyllic childhood I always dreamed of.
Ah! fun post. Guess what, my husband and I call Cherish 'our song.'
What a great childhood you had. I enjoyed reading your childhood memories. Hugs
What great memories. I'll have to try to think back to the past sometime and try this.
theprovidentwoman.com
Not a video game or a computer in sight! Those were the days.
I love to digress into ONE fond memory...you were able to find LOTS!! How fun!! It's a wonderful feeling to be able to go to happy places in your mind!
What a fun post! I went down memory lane right along with you. How well I do remember counting the contractions, and of course our busy busy Saturday mornings getting all our work done so that we could do whatever we wanted afterward. And Sandy Blue, our pet pigeon. I NEVER see a pigeon but what I don't think of him and how he loved to be held. And how even after he was healed, he always stayed right there in our back yard. He was in the house a lot too. But the sad thing,of course, was when we took him to Big Bear with us for the week we went up with the Halls and he finally flew away. I've often wondered if he would have still been home waiting for us had we left him there.
We absolutely had a great time, didn't we? It was so easy having five children as there was just enough break between you and Nikki that when Jayne and Rich followed, I got so much help from you and Nancy. It was like Nikki was the one you cared for and Nancy helped with Jayne and I had Rich. No wonder everyone thought our family was so great! You all behaved so beautifully in church and going out to dinner each weekend. I do have some really great memories too. Thanks for reminding me Sue.
We did have a great time, Mom.
(I should say, for those who now think my childhood was idyllic, that these are only good memories I'm recalling. Like anyone, we had our share of difficulties, too, but who wants to dwell on those?)
I am happy to say that the good times far outweighed the hard ones.
=)
Okay, you totally have me yearning for Summertime! And whoever invented the balloon was a genius. Kids of all ages, and all walks of life, young and old love them.
Like sand in the hour glass. I remmember watching this soap in the 70s in Canada,
Was reading your profile. What do you write?
Sweet. Very sweet!
Cool post! It made me think of lots of very similar things from my own childhood!
Growing up in a big family has given me some great memories too. We didn't have much in material things, but we had enough and that mixed with love was more than plenty! Thanks for letting us travel the memory lane with you!
That was fun - a lot of those things are good memories of mine too. There's just something about childhood that always seems like summer, doesn't it?
A great memory post - I think my family would really enjoy it if I did the same thing . . . would be fun!
Kristin
did you do number five with a flashlight or the like? I burned a hole in a bedsheet reading under the covers with a clip on lamp onc - M and D were not happy with me!
So wonderful, Sue! You and I were in a semi-parallel universe in those days! Especially the one about cleaning sinks and mirros, listening to Johnny Mathis on a HI-FI!! Loved it!! :)
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