I Remember
3:38 PM
I once stumbled upon a book written by
Georges Perec, titled “I Remember”. In this work, Perec recalls
moments of his life and writes them down in fragments, each beginning
with the words “I remember”. Some of these memories are clearly
significant, while others are teeny little details that would appear
to be meaningless to any reader, but clearly holds some sort of
significance to Perec.
We sometimes become caught up in the
moment, and while it is often advised to not dwell on the past, I
think there is a beauty in bringing certain moments back. A moment
once lived doesn't have to die after it has passed – and I am the
type of person who tries to preserve as many memories as possible.
Like Perec, I like to remember.
Here are several things I remember:
I remember watching the sun rise with
Molly, wrapped tightly in blankets and scarves, feeling the warmth of
my tea in my palms.
I remember salted caramel gelato at 3
AM with my mother.
I remember sobbing while sitting
amongst flowers and trees, looking up at the sky and seeing two
monarch butterflies circling and dancing around one another.
I remember making hundreds of paper
cranes with a friend until 3 AM, three nights in a row.
I remember dreaming of maps.
I remember walking along the Seine at sunset.
I remember a boy approaching me in the
rain, smiling and saying something I could not hear over the sounds
of New York City. We were both swept along with the crowds, in
opposite directions. I never figured out what it is he said to me.
I remember receiving cacti in the mail.
I remember sitting in a very big,
special tree whenever I could as a child, in my neighborhood park.
I remember spending New Year's Eve with
my friends, sharing the memories stored in our memory jar for the
year that was coming to a close.
What do you remember?
Love,
Maya
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