I can remember pictures mostly, and sometimes a few words that are connected to them. My earliest memories come form the age of 2, one is connected to a photographing, so I can identify the age quite accurately. Pictures are scattered throughout my life from that time on. They have been stored in my memory because they must have meant something for me then, a situation, a strong feeling, something important or something that I felt curious about that time. With a few exceptions, I don't remember dates and years well, only vaguely.
I'm sure I can't recall everything at a given time that's been ever stored, there must be a trigger. I also know that playing with memories in your mind can confuse and alter the original memories to an extent as time passes by, but I'm sure my memories are in large part intact.
There's one interesting phenomenon that's somehow connected with my childhood memories. It was rather difficult and mentally stressing to me to go through adolescence and become a grown-up, an adult. Due to this, I guess I cling too much to my early memories, and it is definitely causing a significant part of my problems that I need to work on.
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Another non-English speaking - DX'd at age 38
"Aut viam inveniam aut faciam." (Hannibal) - Latin for "I'll either find a way or make one."