I remember discussing the nature of childhood memories with a friend early in my university career.
I have many vivid memories of experiences as a child but I have no recollection of the times between those memories. My friend recalled her childhood in one connected stream – I was astounded – and envious.
Perhaps being a more conscientious journal keeper would have brought my recall closer to her experience. However, when I did write almost daily, it was rarely “documentary”. I was more likely to describe a visual moment or write a poem than set down a chronology of activity.
In retrospect, the importance of note taking is painfully obvious. My husband and I spent 17 days in Turkey – did I take notes? Of course not! I am now recreating the experience tediously through our hundreds of photographs (photography being somewhat of a passion), the itinerary and memories triggered by browsing the Internet. I was convinced during the trip that I could not possibly forget the detail. A notebook and a pen would have saved countless hours….
Fragments of memories develop depth of character in many fiction works. So I do believe that capturing recollections will be valuable and will trigger creative opportunities. Prospectively, I will be much more cognizant of the quirks of “memory” and use tangible aids.
Memory Comment (Catherine Campbell)
