My First Memory

My First Memory
What is it that causes us to remember some things and completely forget others? This is a question that remains unanswered. Most people have no recollection of anything that happened before the ages of three to four years old. The average age for a child’s first memory is three and a half years old. Even at this age the memories are usually vague and have no detail.
There are two memories that I can still remember to this day. These memories may not be completely precise, but I seem to remember them pretty well. My first memory is probably my fourth Christmas. I remember going to the den in my house with my mom and dad to open presents. My dad recorded me opening my presents. I was particuarly excited because when I saw my presents I realized I had gotten a four wheeler. I remember being excited because both of my cousins already had four wheelers. In addition to this I remember getting lots of toy trucks that made all kinds of sounds. The next day I remember riding my new four wheeler all around the front yard until my mom made me come in because it was too cold. This was one of the last Christmas’s that I spent with my mom and dad while they were together. Not long after this my parents split up. This is the earliest memory that I can remember any sort of details about.
My next memory occurred not long after this when my mom and dad took me to the Smokey Mountains. I remember riding through the mountains in my grandpa’s van that my parents had borrowed. The van was white and red. I can remember pulling over to the side of the road to watch a bear and her cubs. I can also remember riding a train through the mountains. This was fun for me because as a child I really liked trains and this was my first train ride. On the trip I can remember feeding ducks crackers as we stood in a parking lot. This was my first big trip and it remains in my memory to this day. Again this is one of the last memories I have of my parents being together.
I don’t know why these memories stand out to me, but they are some of the few memories that I have of my early childhood. It is weird to me that I can remember these things, but can forget things that happened the day before. These are memories that I will probably carry with me for the rest of my life.