How far back can you remember?

I am certain that I remember some things at least as far back as 4 years old. Some of my memories may possibly be earlier than that.

Earliest clear memory was from about 16 months of age and several from 2 years on.

Come to think of it, I'm certain I can remember a few things from when I was 3. I lived in Beverly (a neighborhood in Chicago) until I was 4, and there are quite a few things I remember from that era that I can't put a date on.

I've got some memories back to around 18 months or so, although I'm not sure of exactly how old I was. Old enough to run, wobble, and fall down a lot without being able to speak. They're rather strange, quite illuminating, and a lot of fun. But last winter I managed to dredge up some memories that had to be from my first few weeks of life, possibly even my first week. It's rather odd to reconnect with what I was thinking/feeling/being at so young an age. Very odd indeed.

I remember things clearly from about 25 months on, and I have a few memories of things that must have occurred earlier. (I use 25 months because our family moved at that time)

It's interesting that Justin can remember things that happened before he had words, because I've wondered if our ability to remember isn't somehow connected to our linguistic ability. But then, again, like Adain pointed out in the gifted thread, some people are visual-spatial learners, and perhaps these people have visual memories, unconnected to words.

That "wordless" aspect of my early memories is one of the odd things about them Little Sister. I've become so dependent on language that freeing myself from it's constraints is very odd. I'm not terribly visual, but there's an analogous "something" that's like a "non-visual visual" that seems to be present. I find it quite difficult to retain such things in my normal consciousness, but I'm working on it.

It seems to me that a very vital part of myself is hidden in there. Attempting to make my normal consciousness less dependent on language seems like a very important key to me. There's huge parts of me, including many important aspects of my day to day life, that are "locked away" behind that door.

It is an interesting thought, that for many people, memory is dependent on language. I do happen to be a visual spatial learner and when I look inward, I discover that most of my memories are visual, rather than lingual. But I also have memories from input from all senses and other sources.

But last winter I managed to dredge up some memories that had to be from my first few weeks of life, possibly even my first week. It's rather odd to reconnect with what I was thinking/feeling/being at so young an age. Very odd indeed

I'd really be interested in hearing what memories you've recalled from that early age Justin. I find it incredible that so many here recall things from such an early time in life.

I have lots three and on.

Before that it's pretty much just the time I ate a pepper off a plant at a store, I thought it was candy corn. Yikes! It was like fire. I know I went completely insane.

My Dad couldn't believe I remembered that incident. I think he said I was around two then. He laughed and laughed at how bad I freaked out, when I brought it up. My lips swelled up and I kept going nuts every time I saw myself in the mirror. It was like I thought I was going to be permanently transformed to fish-girl. I guess it couldn't have been that traumatic because I love spicy food now.

Actually, I made myself go fish-girl again at the street fair a couple years ago. Habanero sauce on corn. Yum. But also, oww. Clearly, I learned nothing. Except that candy corn doesn't grow on trees.

I remember something from when I was still in a crib -- I had pulled myself up and was looking and wanting to go outside really bad. Outside of that, I don't remember much until I was about 4, when my youngest brother was born. My other brother and I were dropped off by some neighbors, they were older and had a big collie. I thought that was the coolest dog.

This is not the earliest memory, which is hard to explain, but it is one of my earliest. I was in another room of the small 2 bedroom apt. I grew up in while my parents were in the living room with several friends. I was looking at an abc book with silly little stories about the letters. I was maybe 26 months old. All of a sudden, something clicked in my mind and I had a major AHA moment. I could read the word "turquoise" and within a few seconds, the rest of the words on the page. I found I could read the entire book.

Excited, I ran out into the living room. I remember this sea of knees; the couch cushions being just above eye level. "Mommy, mommy" I said, "I can read, I can read turkelois!" ( I couldn't pronounce turquoise). My mom just said "That's nice dear, now go and play." I felt let down, but there was nothing to do about it, so I went to the other room and looked at some more books.

One of the odd things about my early memories is the fact that, while I ignored what people were saying for the most part, I knew everything about them and what was going on. I knew what they were feeling, and I understood what they were talking about. They were all clear as glass - clearer than they are now in fact. I was ignorant about a lot of things in this world, and the body I'd somehow become entangled in was rather infuriating & bizarre, but I knew people. I've known them from at least the moment I was born.

The other thing that seems clear is that I didn't start then. This life was new, but I wasn't. From my perspective as a newly born infant, living was merely a new location. It was as if I'd just passed through a one-way door, or bought a ticket on a cruise liner in order to take a trip.

Most of my early memories are visual. Many of my early audio memories are distorted, I remember "The Logical Song" by Supertramp sounding very different on the car radio from how it actually sounds, but I know today that's what I was hearing.

That's quite curious Nucky. Distorted how? Do you have any idea why your early memories feature distorted audio?

The organ had more of a dronish quality to it, with longer notes. Maybe it was the way it was stored into my memory, I'm not sure why my early audio memories are distorted.

From 1956/1957 onward.

I'm not sure if my early memories are actual memories...except one with my dad in it...I know that ones real. When you were younger, did you feel your emotions?

Actually, now that you mention it, I do have some very early memories that aren't connected to language, vision, or hearing, but more vague impressions. In particular, while I remember a woman named Suzy, who cared for me as an infant while my parents worked. While I can no longer picture her, or remember her voice, I simply have a sense about her, that she was a warm, loving woman and cared for me as if I were her own. I imagine she cuddled quite a bit, and I suspect she sang to me, because there are certain songs that evoke a deeper than usual kind of response.

Jess, I was fascinated by dust motes, too! I also remember standing up in my crib, and rattling it to help me scoot across the floor, because I wanted to get a better look at my baby brother who slept in another crib in the same room.

Melodiccolor, you must have been such a smart little cutie pouring over your books. Turkeloise.
Yes, I loved my bookies, too. I don't think I actually read them, as much as recited the verses by rote. Poetry books were my favorites. And I was very drawn to the pictures. I'd create stories about what was happening in each one.

Adain, Yes, of course, I remember emotionally charged events most of all. Excitement, wonder and amazement, joy and delight, humor, and terrible melt-downs over "traumas." (Parents might call them tantrums. )

Adain, the emotional memories are the clearest ones of all, especially from the time before I was 2 years old.

Little Sister, those are some amazing memories from so far back!

Jess, come to think of it; I remember enjoying dust motes dancing in the sunlight too.

INFP that's me wrote:

melodiccolor wrote:
Jess, come to think of it; I remember enjoying dust motes dancing in the sunlight too.

I still enjoy watching them.

Me too.

nuckinfutz wrote:

INFP that's me wrote:

melodiccolor wrote:
Jess, come to think of it; I remember enjoying dust motes dancing in the sunlight too.

I still enjoy watching them.

Me too.

Me three!

I guess because I was like emotional antenna (still am to be truthful), I picked up on everyone else emotions around me all the time, but I guess I couldn't sort out mine from other people's. I literally had to work out what I should be feeling in certain situations. I was very detached in a way, and I did respond very strangely sometimes, because I was mirroring other people's feelings.

No wonder you fit in so perfectly with us all. (Remember the chatbox...)