My hand picks up a flat rock as the blue water waits. My hand swings back, the rock heavy, and it bounces on the surface of the water four times and then disappears into the water.

Memories are like skipping stones. Some memories have greater bounce and they stick in our conscious, resisting the urge to disappear. There are certain details I will never forget and will bounce eternal in my mind. Here are some of my skipping stones:

I remember every morning my mom would braid my hair as I watch Three Stooges on the television set, laughing at Moe, Larry and Curly. When I came home in the afternoon, my mom would have an afternoon snack ready as I would tell her about my day. As a little girl, my parents took me to putt-putt golf every Friday. My father would play two rounds with me, cheering me on, anticipating my hole in one. I remember Sunday donut days, my father driving to one particular donut shop on the other side of town, even though there were several local shops in our neighborhood.

There were memories with my sister too. We would watch award shows together and eat Subway sandwiches during Dallas Cowboy football games. Oh, and yeah, we would both try to mimic the dance moves of The New Kids on the Block, replaying the tape over and over again, until we got the dance just right.

There are more recent memories too that haven’t faded away. Husband and I sitting outside our favorite pond talking about nothing in particular, our gelato days in Italy, and all the regular ordinary moments that led to laughter.

We both now share this time with our daughter. And the memory of her birth, of course will always be a permanent imprint. I know some of my most precious memories will have her in them. From her random I Love You’s to just recently, when she had her first open house at school, displaying her artwork, smiling, proud of what she accomplished.

These are the memories that won’t sink. They have bounce.

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What are some of your skipping stones? What do you remember most about them?