I have a vivid visual memory. I remember realizing this way back in middle school, when I was taking a test and I could vividly see exactly where in the textbook I read the answer to a specific question, but I couldn’t remember the answer. For me, random things and places bring back so many memories, and sometimes even memories of emotions that feel so real I almost believe I’m re-living them. It could be a place where something momentous occurred, or even a pair of jeans that bring me back to a different season of life. I had one of those moments last night as I was on a run. It was my first run since I moved back to Iowa from Albuquerque, and it ended up to be a run down memory lane. We live out in the country, and it was a perfectly beautiful evening. The rolling hills of lush green grass and trees, brilliant blue lake, birds flying and chirping as if playing a silly game of hide-and-seek. I had to stop part way through to take it all in! I will have to go out in the evening and take a photo for you so you can visualize this beautiful place. Anyway, my mind was flooded with all the memories I have on this lovely dirt road:
- driving to school by myself for the first time with my driver’s license
- many, many runs as I trained for Cross County, and then for a half marathon with my dad
- driving home after an intense break-up with a boyfriend in highschool and hitting an enormous pothole, and thinking I had for sure just popped my tire!
- Long walks with Stacy Billings (now Stacy Frazer!)
- driving home after working at the good ‘ole Gap!
- The time when the river rose so high it touched the top of the bridge. Scary!
- making the trecherous treck to jazz band at 6:30am in the winters when the snow was piled high
So, that’s a snapshot of my visual memory for you…and that’s only in one place! If there’s a thing or place that always seems to bring you back to a certain time, share it with us in the comment section!
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