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Warning: a comment about my 'perfect' childhood memory changed how I talk to my own kids
My therapist pointed out my go-to story about a flawless beach day at 5 years old was actually a polished version my parents repeated, not my real memory. Now I ask my kids 'what did you feel?' instead of 'wasn't that fun?' and their answers are way more vivid. Anyone else had a core memory reframed like that?
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nguyen.lily1mo ago
Wow, that is such a huge thing to realize. It makes you wonder how many of our "happy" memories are just stories we got told on repeat. My mom used to talk about this amazing birthday party I had, but the only thing I actually remember is crying because my cake had the wrong color frosting. Asking what someone felt instead of leading them is such a better way to get the real story, you know? It's like you're unlocking the actual event instead of the highlight reel.
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hannah4001mo ago
Ever notice how even family photos feel staged? Like we're all just acting out the story we're supposed to remember later.
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jessica1301mo ago
Did you also start noticing how many stories are just handed down, not really remembered?
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