At school my reports always used to say I had an over active imagination, I used to sit at my desk and just dream. I have always been a day dreamer, I love to be left alone with my thoughts- I could sit and think about my hopes, goals, fears and dreams for hours.
I also love to think about memories. Isn't nostalgia an amazing thing? And how even the smallest little thing can transport you back to a past memory?
How driving along a certain road makes me instantly think of my Daddy- it is really bumpy and he used to drive along it quickly because I liked it making my tummy 'do somersaults.'
How eating orange smarties reminds me of sitting on my Grandma's knee in the doctors surgery when I was three, being cuddled because I had fallen against a window and cut my head open.
How hearing the song 'It must have been love' reminds me of being seventeen and having my heart broken for the first time. Sitting against the radiator in my little sisters room with my Mum, crying my eyes out. I can still feel her arms around me telling me the hurt would get better.
Or how the smell of Gucci Rush perfume insantly reminds me of one of my university friends? Being transported back to my child free years, my four housemates and I drinking cheap wine, listening to our music really loud and getting ready for countless nights out.
And how hearing the song 'You're beautiful' by James Blunt reminds me of the summer I fell in love with my husband- the trips out, that exciting butterfly inducing feeling of getting to know someone inside and out.
I think thats why I love taking photos so much- I have literally boxes full of photos in my garage of my childhood and although there are some moments I don't remember, the majority I look at and get a feeling of nostalgia wash over me as I relive the memories.
I love how you can be doing something completely random when a memory pops in to your head- or how when you meet up with old friends you spend ages laughing about what you used to get up too. Those happy moments that aren't life changing, but that make you better as a person.
The little moments that make you you.
The human mind is pretty incredible really- how we are capable of remembering the tiniest details or the smallest memories.
I want to make sure that when Mads is my age, or when she is a Mummy herself, that she looks back on her childhood and smiles. Like I do. It may not always be happy but as long as we help her create memories that she will love to remember. I want her to look back and say 'My Mummy did a great job.' I want her to remember wonderful memories of laughter, cuddles and lots and lots of fun.
Who knows what her first memory will be but I want to make sure that it is one to cherish?
I want her to look back and say for the most part that growing up was great. One day I want to sit with her and look at photo albums or reminisce about stories and say 'Ah do you remember when...?'
And we can look back and smile.
