We do not remember days. We remember moments. – Caesar Pavese
Of my many moments, I recall this one in technicolor.
I stood in an art gallery at the back of the old Hotel Newburgh. I toured the old hotel-turned-homeless housing. Blundered through its lobby and missed the basement bar. Even stood on the barren Ritz Theater stage, where Lucy and Ricky launched their act. I breathed dust motes of Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole.
Maybe the place spoke to me then. I don’t remember every detail about the day.
But I can’t forget these moments.
My assistant goes through my extensive photography collection and creates these memes, and I make words to fit them. Her efforts on my behalf have finally given me brain space to create again. I hope these Monday stories remind you of moments you used to savor here.
I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve cried with gratitude, because my brain threatened a bloody exorcism. Characters would spew. Jendi saved my sanity and helped MTM avoid a mess.
I’m revising a novel, a sequel to To Live Forever, partially set within these walls. I bungled around the spaces, my stories stoppered with steel and cement and bricks of insecurity.
Until these moments bansheed through my fingers and morphed into a scene. A vanished woman tackling what may be her final chance at redemption. A West Point cadet whose only option is brokering his soul. A villain determined to destroy them both.
I didn’t expect this outcome when I kissed a painted fish.
Can you recall a few moments made more significant with distance and space? What happened to make them matter?
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Photograph Credit: Andra Watkins
This is part of a series of pictures about making memories. If you liked the story why not share it with your friends? Let’s meet on Facebook or Twitter. If you prefer pictures you will surely like my Instagram. I’ve collected inspirational things and more on Pinterest! Any comments? Write them below!
P.S. I have another great memory that involves kissing Elvis.
6 Comments
So glad you have someone to help you, Andra!
Every moment is one to be savored. I went for a walk last week in my neighborhood on a sunny day. The warmer-than-normal temperature and the blue sky made me catch my breath in wonder.
The sound of rain on the roof always connects me to the rest of my life. I spent much of yesterday outside in the rain and hearing it this morning as I get my work day started brought me directly to my ongoing novel, which starts out during the 100 Year Flood here in Portland. A few moments of listening brings me a flood of other moments. As a writer, this is riches beyond compare.
for me, it is the weather and nature that remind me that i’m alive. it’s those moments when i feel most connected to life.
I like the idea that we remember moments. I’m sure there’s a quote somewhere from a famous author (obviously so well known I forget) which says about how people won’t remember what you looked like or what you did, but how you treated them. Or something like that.
I am still savoring the memories that came back to me this past Saturday at a memorial service. It reunited us with many friends we hadn’t seen in a very long time, some more than 20 years. I had some of the most amazing conversations and certainly enjoyed remembering our younger selves. In one afternoon we celebrated a lifetime of very meaningful relationships and being connected to others is important to me.
To me it’s the smells that bring me back to certain places and memories, particularly when my mother cooks. They are always happy memories that put a huge smile on my face and make me hungry. But then again, I’m always hungry (just ate two cider donuts from Atkins!) 🙂 I am so thrilled that you are getting help and I love the captions and quotes she uses. Regarding fish-kissing, Matt has been known to kiss a fish or two while on his fishing expeditions, I’ll have to ask him if he liked it. 🙂
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