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Flashback Friday: Oh the Memories



It's so strange how memories work and how a sight, smell, or sound can bring them back to life. I remember hearing my parents talk and recall fashion, music, friends, and other events from their past. They would almost glaze over with a smile as if they were transported to this magical happy place for just a moment in time. As I approach the fabulous age of thirty-five I now find myself getting that starry eyed look and Cheshire grin when a memory strikes. 
It hadn't happened until I was frolicking through Pinterest (this is not only an addiction, but a guilty pleasure) and I came across 80's toys. I saw popples, strawberry shortcake, my little pony, Jem and the Holograms, Voltron, pound puppies, seawees and more. I just about had an out of body experience. The joy of childhood was glorious. I could remember playing with my sister in the bathtub with little plastic mermaids and rolling up the popples and tossing them around at bedtime. Oh and don't forget it had a cartoon as well! Nothing like Saturday morning cartoons and a heaping bowl of sugar known as cereal. 
Now as I rather enjoyed this experience I decided to jump back into my Pinterest time machine and take a trip to the 90's today. This was different than the fun filled 80's trip. The 90's brought middle school bullies, high school crushes, and some friendships that I still hold dear today. Suddenly I wanted to put a flannel around my waste and pull on some combat boots. I still think there is nothing as appealing as a baby doll dress and some Doc Martin's. I had green hair, shaved hair, blue nail polish, and wore an egyptian symbol necklace (ankh). I was asked if I was a witch due to a love affair with a black sweater and long black skirt (which had small purple flowers). No witch, but definately searching religion at that time. I can still smell the Sunflowers perfume and the black eyeshadow from Jane cosmetics. This was a harder, more confusing time, but blessed with mall adventures thanks to J.M. She knows who she is and she is still fabulous. 
Now I look in the mirror and spot the gray strands that are starting war with my brunette strands. Faint wrinkles are forming at the corners of my eyes. I don't have a style of clothing anymore other than comfort. It's so funny, now I find myself telling my teen daughter that I wore that. That song you love is a remake and the original is better. As I dreamed of running off to NYC to become a comic book artist, she dreams of a career in social media that takes her to sunny California. I see myself in her as she grows, changes, and explores life in many of the same ways I did. Now in the 2000's (what do you actually call this time frame) I take more moments to jump into my time machine and smile just for a moment before the fear and anxiety I feel over what she will soon experience in her journey to adulthood come back. For her I wish that she can look back at childhood with a smile, gain strength in her teens, gain knowledge as a young adult, and as I am now learning as I continue my own journey, don't sweat the small stuff. You have to keep going. Don't focus on the crumby bits, it's the smiles and laughs that matter and get you through. I wonder in 15, 30, or 50 years from now where my flashbacks will take me. Not gonna rush it. I've enjoyed the trip so far and I like the speed at which I am traveling in this moment.

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