My earliest memory is from when I was about two years old. All I can remember is sitting in a high chair in my kitchen and my mom is holding a jar of apple sauce at my side. The strange thing is, I only remember a particular image of this scene...there is no motion in the memory. I remember that there were blues and greens in my environment, however I cannot envision my mother walking towards the high-chair.
-- Edited by 102intro on Wednesday 14th of October 2009 03:57:55 PM
Though my earliest memory does have motion in it (specifically moving water) it is also just a single image. I know about the events surrounding that memory because people explained it to me later, but all I can actually remember is how I felt and what I saw in that one particular instant.
A lot of people's earliest memories seem to be of *doing* something. I think it's interesting that ours are of *seeing* something. It's also interesting that every memory I've read so far involves other living beings, sometimes animals, but usually friends or family members. It seems to demonstrate the importance of interaction and relationships in our lives.
I remember only a few frames, but what is most prominent in my first memory is what I felt then. I think the reason why we remember these particular moments in our lives is because of our feelings in those moments, rather than the images they left in our heads.
I agree with aschaeff, that our earliest memories left in our heads are mostly based on the feelings you experienced at that particular moment, and not necessarily the actions. This could explain the images of that memory, instead of the movements. Even though my memory includes the actions, I remember it because of its humor, and not movements itself.
My earliest memory was also more of a still image with little motion (me coloring). I agree with aschaeff that it probably has to do more with the emotions that we are feeling rather than what has happening, even though I don't particularly remember why my memory had left me with strong feelings. Maybe this is another clue that memories are more tied to the feelings than what actually happened?
