Memories

 

My earliest memory, without any thinking or prompting was in the THIRD GRADE.  I was eight years old and was told by my father that I had a baby brother.  However, I cannot remember if I liked or disliked the news as I am sure I hardly knew what that was going to mean to our family.

I have plenty of memories regarding the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades but not very many memories of my first two years in college or may last two years in college after being discharged from the military.

The memories of my first marriage are selective as well, recalling fewer positive memories than negative ones; but, during the first few years of our separation and divorce, recall a little more; however, I recall more about my second marriage than my first.

From age 60 until my present age of 78, I was and still am under treatment for two kinds of cancer, and my only vivid memories of those 18 years are the weekend of sickness I endured once a month for a 6-month period of time.

Looking back, I seem to have NEGATIVE MEMORY rather than POSITIVE MEMORY.

There were numerous times during my last SEVENTY YEARS (78-8 years of no recall at all) that were very positive for me.

• moving to Cairo, Egypt for 4 years
• high school graduation
• traveling through Europe
• first marriage
• honorable discharge from military
• birth of daughter
• college graduation
• grad school graduation
• second marriage
• traveling with second wife
• teaching
• survivor of cancer - so far
• retirement

I'm sure there are more, but I am just thinking off the top of my head without concentrating...

It bothers me that my first thought of memories are always negative.