The earliest memory I have is when I was about 3 or 4. My family was taking me to Disneyland for the first time ever. It was my first time in an airport (that I could remember) and everything around me was so big! The people were big, the bathrooms, the hallways, the windows, everything! I had a floppy felt hat with bright flowers on it and my favorite velcro shoes on and I was all ready to go. I was walking to the gate with my mom, dad, aunty, and grandma, and it was like a marathon to me. It was the longest walk to the furthest gate and my energy quickly vanished. I saw that my grandma had a small red rolling suitcase she was toting behind her, and I jumped on and clung tightly to it. Everyone laughed and my grandma pulled me along all the way to the gate.
The parts that are hazy are that I don't know what the weather was like or exactly how old I was. I don't remember what else I was wearing, just the hat and the shoes specifically. I don't know what anyone else was wearing or what time it was. I don't know the number or letter of the gate we had to walk to or even if it was THAT far away. I just know it seemed far to me at the time. I don't even remember if she pulled me all the way. She might have pulled me for a little while then told me to get off and walk myself (since that seems like something she would tell me) but I really can't remember.
I would have problems calling it nonfiction because I would have to make up details that I don't remember. I could call it creative nonfiction because of the creative details added to enhance the story and fill in the blanks I don't exactly remember. But really, how much can you be expected to remember from when you're 3 or 4 years old?
I do not agree with the statement, "if you remember it, then it's true" because different people remember different things about the same event. Memory is a very unreliable source of information because memories change over time. My memories are different from my sisters memories which are different from my mom's memories about the same events. All in all memory changes and cannot be a definite source of information.
Reading this I really felt like I was a kid again. You describe everything as being big and everything as taking forever or being far away. It really makes the reader feel more like they are in your shoes. I laugh when I picture a miniature version of you jumping on the suitcase. It's a very funny, very unique memory.
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