Research now says that flash bulb memories don’t survive the passage of time quite as accurately as scientists first thought.
They become about as reliable as our ordinary memories although we imagine they are perfect for who could ever forget where we were on that fateful September morning in 2001, or when we heard J.F.Kennedy had been shot? The details, however, have faded, although we would argue to the contrary.
The article in Live Scientist says finding out about a major event compares to finding out about a parent’s death. We would feel every bit as odd if we did not remember what we were doing on the morning of 9-11 as we would if we had spaced when we first heard of a father’s death for example.
When I read this my mind drew a blank and I immediately thought,
“Great I’m one of those oddballs,” as I struggled to recall if I remembered where I was when I found out about my father’s death.
Then I remembered, I had me going there for a while, and I wondered what I was doing on my phone in the first place under the circumstances?
I was at Jazzercise…
Further thought and the picture slowly came into focus.
My youngest daughter was babysitting. Nope, it was my oldest daughter, she just reminded me…ah I remember it well!!
My brother in Broadstairs, just on the other side of the pond, called my hubs at home in Garland, who called our babysitting daughter at the recreation centre, who beckoned to me mid “woo” to relay the message to call home.
Which I did.
Phew, I remembered! Sort of!
Where were you this time eleven years ago?
I was tying my hair back for Jazzercise, again, in the bathroom, hubs came in and told me a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade buildings.
My emotion, which according to Live Scientist is also not accurate with the passing of time, was one of,
“Ok!”
I have to admit I did not initially grasp the full impact of this piece of news, at first I thought he was talking about a small plane that had accidentally misjudged its altitude and crashed into a high rise in New York.
Understanding dawned with the word, terrorist, and I joined the children in the lounge where the television was on, a rare occurrence in our house indeed, to witness the horror taking place under a clear, blue, Autumnal sky.
After an hour we turned the coverage off, our youngest was nine and she needed a more nine year old day.
She said,
“Will this be in the history books when I grow up?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Then I will be able to say I lived through that…?” she asked in awe.
“Yes you will.”
This tragic event was the beginning of her understanding that we live through history one day at a time…I pray we may never make history on a national scale. We have our personal histories and some of them, on rare occasions, intersect with national history.
Pray for all the families in the world affected by the event of September 11th, 2001.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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