Share your memories!
Hello there, friends.
I’m still easing into April and about to launch into a busy month of travel. (I’m actually at the airport waiting to board my first flight of the month right now. Rome, here I come!)
Before things get too crazy, though, I wanted to share the latest in the Memories to Share series and help you get some of those memories down to share with future generations, family and friends.
This month’s prompts talk a lot about childhood– neighbors, imaginary friends, food… all kinds of kid stuff that I hope makes you smile as you reminisce and then write.
Before we get into the prompts, though, here is one of those memories that I’d like to share with you. It is about some memorable neighbors I loved.
The first neighbors from my childhood that I remember are Billie and Morrie, who lived right next door to my family when I was about 2 until almost 6 years old. They did not have children at home, as their kids had grown up, but they sure knew how to make me smile. I loved spending time with them. I remember playing tiddlywinks and pick up sticks at their house and going for walks with Morrie and their dog, Peppy.
Morrie was a very nice, gentle, man. We would just walk around the neighborhood talking about all sorts of things. I remember that he carried a pocket knife and one time, while we were walking, I said something about a branch from a pine tree. (I probably made all sorts of observations to him.) I thought it looked a lot like a broom and was intrigued by it. Morrie pulled out his pocket knife and cut a cluster off for me and I swept it along the sidewalk. I can still see those deep green needles, held together by red-brown bundles, and I remember that slate gray sidewalk. We were always collecting treasures on our walks: sticks, rocks and the like.
I probably skipped along as we walked. I cannot remember what we talked about, I just know that those walks made me happy and that Billie and Morrie both made me feel so special every time I was around them.
Years later, after we had moved far away, I remember standing in line at the grocery checkout with my mom. Her voice got very quiet as she prepared to tell me some serious news. Billie had died. I remember being very sad, even though I had not seen her in quite some time and, quite frankly, probably would not have seen her again anyhow. I think that was my first experience with death. It made me sad. And it made me cherish my memories with those special neighbors even more. While writing this, I am even tearing up a bit. I haven no idea what their last names were or who their family is and where they might be. I just know that Billie and Morrie were special people and a very special part of my childhood. I am thankful for them and the times we had together, walking, talking and playing games.
I love that they were friendly to me and that my parents let me spend time with them. I love that God put them in my life.
Do you have any memories of people or neighbors like that in your life? I’d love to read your stories in the comments of this post and I bet your family would love to read about your memories, too. Which brings me to….
April’s Memories to Share
Here are our prompts for April. Take one or two on each week and let the memories and conversations flow…
Prompt #5 is:
Tell about a memorable neighbor from your childhood.
Click to download the PDF of this week’s Memory to Share: MTS – Childhood Neighbor
Prompt #6 is:
Did you ever have an imaginary friend? If so, tell about that.
Click to download the PDF of this week’s Memory to Share: MTS – Imaginary Friend
Prompt #7 is:
What were some of your favorite foods as a child?
Click to download the PDF of this Memory to Share: MTS – Childhood Favorite Foods
Prompt #8 is:
What foods did you not like as a child that you enjoy as an adult?
Click to download the PDF of this Memory to Share: MTS – Adult Favorite Foods
What’s your story?
Thank you for joining me on my series, Memories to Share. It is my hope this series will guide you in recording family stories and personal memories to share with loved ones, as well as help you to ask others to collect Memories to Share with you someday.
If this is your first time learning about Memories to Share, please click over to learn more about the series.
If you missed previous prompts in this series, you can find them here:
Memories to Share writing prompts and PDFs are protected by copyright. They are intended for personal use and enjoyment only. Please do not post the prompts elsewhere, but you may link back to this post for others to see the prompt and download the sheets for themselves. Thank you for respecting that.
It is my sincere hope that Memories to Share enriches your life and your family. Enjoy.
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