The Vividness of Memory

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Yes, I've always had a very good memory and have often shocked my parents at some of the things I remember. What is probably my earliest memory is something that happened when I was just about 1 year old. A lot of my memories are of short, fleeting, almost insignificant things. The event at 1 yr of age was me being in my neighbor's kitchen with my mother and I was trying to climb up onto the top of the stepstool, which was beige. I was having trouble since I was barely even walking at that age and the woman said "Honey, do you want some help getting up there?" I remember her exact words and all the inflections in her voice. I am now 50 and I remember this.

I have a terrific and vivid long term memory that can amaze people, and a really poor short term memory.
I first found out how odd my memory was in therapy talking about an episode I thought was a dream and she said to ask my mom about that. Mom said yes it really happened, and I was slightly less than a year old, which surprised me because I was thinking so clearly in the memory. The therapist was just floored I rememered so much so far back. But don't ask me what I had for breakfast today, lol.
I have noticed I only seem to store vividly memories I found confusing or had to process a lot, or places in time I kept due to their peace or beauty so I could "go back"....and I do. That's how I get through MRI's or comfort myself on really bad days. I can also store visual ideas and patterns in a semi- vivid way that lets me tinker with them later.
The double edge to this sword is when I actually have a dream, it can sometimes be so vivid it is difficult to tell later if it was a dream or really happened. I sometimes have to ask and that's tough. And when something bad happens it can be difficult to deal with the vivid memories later.