The earliest memory

Well I do not have detailed and colorful memories like that of Leo Tolstoi. His remembrances start almost from the beginning of his life. He recalls his nurse wrapping him up in a towel while he was still a few days old in this world. Such memories could be terribly depressing at times. Our life does not pass on with out landing us in very compromising situations now and then. If we have carried all of them with us through out, it would destroy us completely. One of our writers here always prides himself with the prodigious memory that he has. He has often said the one strength he has is the strength of these memories. It might be good in recreating scenes in which he was a part in life and translating them into his work, but at a price, I am sure.

Now here I am with the task of recalling the earliest of my memories and I see a porch paved by ceramic tiles with sand sprinkled on it and my discomfort in moving on it on all fours. I can faintly recall the surroundings too. There was a compound wall some distance away from where I was and it was old and covered with dried and blackened moss. I can see every tiny sand particle in the light of a brilliantly shining sun (It could be the sun for no artificial lighting could be as brilliant). I do not remember what I was doing other than moving around on all my fours. Perhaps I was investigating the surroundings like all little ones do when they are left to themselves. There was no one around and no sounds were heard. No movement at all other than the play of sun on the floor.

Well I can not say why this memory remained with me all these years in stark contrast to all the other interesting things I seem to have done at that period of life. My mother never tires herself of recalling every incident in which I was the main culprit and destroyed something. And according to sources I was a great destroyer. I am reported to have had a great liking to dismantle and tear apart anything I could lay my hands on. These deeds appears to have been done in a clinically thorough manner that my grand mother, a great disciplinarian, is said to have commented the world would have to fear me when I grow up.

I am just starting! Other meaningful memories would follow soon.