Remember

Memories can be forgotten

I found the box just sitting there, covered in half-torn feather and caking glitter, three letters glued to the top; MUM. It was Anna who had given me the box, on my birthday one year. She had leant up close and said “How long will you keep the box for Mum?”

“Forever,” I had replied.

“Then you’ll remember me forever.” And the way she had said it was like I was going to forget her one day, like she was scared.

She was eight then, so young, so unknowing. I promised her I would put everything that reminded me of her in it. Over the years I filled it with her joy, just with the little things, but they were the things I held close.

Nine years later I went to open the box, to once again see my collection. But when the lid was prised, I found it all gone, a single sheet lying on the bottom. “I don’t want to be remembered anymore Mum.”

Every token I had collected over the years were gone, just as she was. People would ask me what was the best thing that I could remember about her. I couldn’t remember.

Now, looking at the box, I once again open it, finding the single sheet of paper still lying there. Its untouched page was still as white as it had been that many days ago.

My hand shaking, I lift it, expecting it to crumble in my touch. The words were as bright as the first time they were read. “I don’t want to be remembered anymore Mum.” This was the thing to her remembrance. She didn’t want to be remembered. Placing the sheet back into the box, I left the house, driving down the near-empty streets to where she lay.

A stone block marked her presence, ‘To be always remembered’ etched in the slab. Kneeling down, box in hand, I paused. And for the last time, I remembered. The box left my grip to lie by the stone, colourful amongst the bleak.

Slowly I rose, finishing my daughter’s last wish. She didn’t wish to be remembered, and so, I forgot.

Reviews

[Priya]

Your powers of evoking emotion are unparalleled. This is a very moving piece, as has become the de facto standard with your writes. Even if the language might not have been as poetic as your other writes, I find the story and the emotion were! Congratulations for successfully making me choke with emotion for the second time today.

[Wendy Seames Garner]

This would be a very hard thing for a mother to do - forget. It has been fifteen years for me, and there are times when I don't think about my daughter, but I could never forget her.

[InterijentoWrites]

Right off the bat, this is difficult to read, formatically speaking. You should try double spacing between each paragraph so it is more appealing to the eye. :)

I found the box just sitting there, covered in half-torn feather and caking glitter, three words glued to the top; MUM. ---
Words should be letters. Mum is one word. :)

Those were the only things I found that could be changed. Other than that, this is a gorgeous piece. Very moving, almost made me cry. It is so moving and powerful. Your choice of words, the way you describe the scene and the memory is quite talented. You do some great work.