Borderstan Candids: Creating Lasting Memories
It's important to create a bank of memories for the future. (Candida Mannozzi)
From Candida Mannozzi. You can reach her at candida[AT]borderstan.com.
Borderstan, this past Memorial Day weekend reminded me of how important it is for all of us to have happy memories to tap into, and the related need to be building-up a collection of rewarding experiences we can later revisit.
I took my four-and-a-half year old niece to the beach. This was special event for several reasons: it was our first overnight trip together without her parents (i.e. a “big girls” trip), we were staying with good friends, and sand, water and other small children were on the menu. The end of May could not come soon enough!
We had a wonderful time. I felt rewarded by her parents’ trust, allowing me to take her away for several days. She rewarded me (and them, by extension) by being on her best behavior and becoming a very welcome new playmate to the other children there. Since our return, I have been “playing back” countless scenes from our weekend at the water’s edge. I hope that she will remember this weekend too, maybe even into adulthood.
This recent memory brings up of one of my own first “big girl” experiences, when my parents let me stay up past regular bedtime to watch a ballet on TV with them. We did it on the sly; I went to bed at the same time as my younger brother in order not to cause any jealousy. But they came to fetch me after he’d fallen asleep and I tip-toed into the living room at an hour that had been off-limits to me until then. I felt so excited and proud to have been chosen for this special treat, this exception to the rule! I even remember the After Eight chocolate mints they had put out on the coffee table for me to munch on, as I sat on the edge of the sofa and watched Swan Lake on a grainy, black and white TV set.
Summers can be conducive to creating such lasting memories: we plan time off, we may be looking forward to a vacation, to some time spent visiting distant friends or exploring new places. We’re likely to be doing something we’ve worked towards, saved for and planned – excitement and anticipation are in the air!
Borderstan, I wish all of you success at creating and enjoying your new adventures, that they in turn may be added to a growing store of happy memories.
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