1. What is YOUR first ( earliest or youngest) memory? Please describe it in as much detail as YOU reasonably can. About 200 words or more.
My earliest memory is with my father, when I was probably three years old. I remember vividly that I was in my parent’s room, lying down on the bed with my father. He was teaching me to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. He would sing one line and I would repeat it until we finished the whole song. He repeatedly sang with me until I was able to sing it alone. After teaching me the song, he taught me the actions for it. Together, we kept on singing it for almost ten minutes. When I did not want to sing anymore, I remembered my dad tried to urge me to continue but when I still did not sing, he started to tickle me. We were both laughing so hard that my mother entered the room, wanting to find out what was going on. When I saw my mother, I started to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” again with actions. My mother was so surprised. My father proudly told her that he was the one who taught me how to sing. My mother jumped on the bed and started singing the song with us. But after one song with her, my father whispered to me that we should both start tickling her. At that instant, I followed my father and started tickling my mother. She was trying to evade us but we still continued to tickle her. But even as we were trying to tickle her, she was still singing the song in between bursts of laughter.
2. Do you remember the airplanes crashing the World Trade Center Towers in New York city? If so, describe how you remember learning of the incident. Where were you? What were you doing? Who told you? Who were with you?
Yes, I remember the crashing of the World Trade Center but it is not very vivid to me anymore. I remember that I was eating breakfast at home, getting ready for school. My mother got a phone call and then turned on the television. That is when I saw the incident. I watched with my mother and I remember tears flowing from her eyes. I did not understand what I was watching but for me it was like one of those disaster movies that my mother and father watch.
3. How/ why do you feel that these events are still remembered ( by YOU)? What factors contribute to the recall of these memories? Why are these events remembered and not other events ( such as where you were at 5 pm this day last year)?
I think that I remember these events because they were emotion-filled. In the first incident when I was barely four years old, I was overwhelmed with happiness. I was so happy to spend that special moment with my father and mother. Even now, whenever I hear the song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, I still feel an unexplained emotion in my heart. With regards to the World Trade incident, I remember it because I witnessed my mother crying. I seldom see her cry when I was young. I also think that another reason why I remember it is because the World Trade attack is often seen on television during its anniversary. It constantly reminds me of that sad day. Furthermore, most people I know still talk about it.
These two events are remembered instead of other events because they are both meaningful to me. Each event left a mark not only on my mind but also in my heart.
