Discussion Share your favorite happy memories (if any)

[Mayonaise]

I've been indulging for quite some time now in a trip down memory lane. I guess when the present looks so bleak it's normal to find solace in the past.
Even if marked by isolation and pain to a certain degree, I had a very intense life. It's been more than good, even if my past might have played a role in creating the issues I'm facing.
Since I don't know how much time I've left, I want to celebrate my life up to this point. You're welcome to join the party:

• Primary school: hanging out with friends on my bike, riding up and down some small hills in front of my house. Playing basketball and Amiga games.
• Junior high: riding bike and playing with Super Nintendo, both alone and with friends. The last day of school my mother and others' used to throw awesome parties with games for us kids in the school yard.
• Early 90s: summer holidays with my parents. Visiting Spain twice. Underwater fishing with my father and beach racket with my mother. Long car rides in the backseat, listening to The Police and Bryan Adams while staring at the landscape outside the car window.
• August 1997, visiting Ireland. A magic country of unmatched beauty.
• In high school (late 90s), buying clothes with my mother at a local shop. My favorite brands were Lee, Levi's, Wrangler, Scorpion Bay, Maui & Sons. For shoes, mostly Nike.
• Summer of '98, my parents bought me my first motorbike. One of the best days of my life. I remember the three of us walking out of the shop and going straight for a pizza.
• My 18th birthday, December 2000. My mother bought me a new mobile phone, a basic model, after I trashed my expensive but useless Siemens model. Spent the afternoon with some nice people smoking hash and fiddling with the new phone. Felt warm, loved and happy. Didn't have a good relationship with my mother back then but that day was special thanks to her and the people I was hanging around with. I felt much love for her. One of the best days of my life.
• August 2005: visiting the Canary Islands for the first time with my parents. Again, a magical place, as close to paradise as it gets. Had been diagnosed with depression a few weeks earlier and started taking SSRI.
• 2014-2015: meeting a very special girl, a one-in-a-million soul. Hurt each other like hell in the end but I'm glad I got to know her.
• The various rock/metal gigs I attended.
• December 2020, last time I've seen the snow. Around midnight, temp below freezing, wandering in the snow-covered fields around my house. Taking surreal night pictures. Last decent Christmas I had.
• August 2021: visiting caves in Algarve, southern Portugal. Incredible, wonderful place.

Many of these memories involve my family, especially my mother. This is due both to the isolation I experienced from peers and the sense of guilt I feel towards her for not being the son she deserved to have.
But I won't go into details because that's another story. As I said, I want this to be a remembrance of the happy moments I had.
I hope some of you will join me in sharing precious pieces of your lives.
Much love to all.

 

[MarsProxy]

The day I first asked him out, his birthday. I was so excited my heart was jumping.
The day my partner and I first met in person. As we were driving home he put his head on my shoulder and it was like falling in love all over again.
The roadtrip we took moving to a whole new city through different states. He slept through most of the trip, but I'd look over and have the biggest grin on my face.
Watching him all last year grinding through his school work, finally getting his diploma. Finally looking happy and proud and not defeated by life.
On my birthday, he'd get me flowers. He never had to but he knew I liked them.
Even the days where we would snuggle for hours.
When we finally got situated in our new apartment. We had no furniture and slept on the floor, but we had each other and that was perfection.
Any day I'd come home exhausted from work, and he'd be there ready to comfort me.
Days we would go to the park and swing together.
The moments he wanted to hold my hand, but it was cold out so I'd grab his hand and hold it in my coat pocket.
There's so many more memories.

 

[Mayonaise]

The day I first asked him out, his birthday. I was so excited my heart was jumping.
The day my partner and I first met in person. As we were driving home he put his head on my shoulder and it was like falling in love all over again.
The roadtrip we took moving to a whole new city through different states. He slept through most of the trip, but I'd look over and have the biggest grin on my face.
Watching him all last year grinding through his school work, finally getting his diploma. Finally looking happy and proud and not defeated by life.
On my birthday, he'd get me flowers. He never had to but he knew I liked them.
Even the days where we would snuggle for hours.
When we finally got situated in our new apartment. We had no furniture and slept on the floor, but we had each other and that was perfection.
Any day I'd come home exhausted from work, and he'd be there ready to comfort me.
Days we would go to the park and swing together.
The moments he wanted to hold my hand, but it was cold out so I'd grab his hand and hold it in my coat pocket.
There's so many more memories.

Thanks for your contribution, really. It means much to me even if I don't know you or your story.
Looks like memories are all that's left for me. I'm crying so much, not for myself but for my parents. I don't hate myself but they deserved a different son.
Anyway, enough with the heart-wrenching stuff. This is supposed to be a post about happy memories. Let's keep it that way.
@MarsProxy I had a peek through your posts, please accept my sincere condolences

 

[Mayonaise]

Movies and TV series:
E.T., The Monster Squad, My Best Friend Is a Vampire, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Stand By Me, The X-Files, ER...
Thank you for keeping me company

 

[aGoodDayToDie]

1998. Dancing on mdma for the first time.

1999. Getting three As at A level.

That's about it. Fucking wish I was dead

 

[Slow_Farewell]

Swimming, when I was still a kid and my mom enrolled me in one of those summer camps.
First kiss, First time i got attracted to a girl and I asked her out and she said yes.
First official girlfriend.
After a certain point in adulting (like you noticed that you're not entirely stinky which means you're able to have good hygiene, you dont owe anything because your bills are paid, and you actually have time to get bored because you're at that level at work that it doesnt faze you anymore. Stupid stuff like that. Oh, and being able to cook something other than hotdogs, eggs, bacon, fried stuff)
First time driving('course, at the time it was terrifying)
First time buying a car, even if it's on installment. Paying off said car.
Meeting people whom you didn't like initially (and the feeling was mutual) but you ended up being besties.
Getting promoted when you actually believed you weren't good enough.
First time snorkeling. and second, and third.
Having someone make you feel attractive, like even if you were standing next to Brad Pitt or George Clooney, they'd still want you(of course you know that's not true but..still)
Long drives with a car you like. Bonus if there are people you like as well with you.
Trying something new and being pleasantly surprised(like a restaurant)
Discovering an anime you really like.
Reading a book whose author you're into. Finishing all books by said author/s.
First time watching the sunrise after partying the night before. Watching the sunset then being wasted after.
Being able to buy something that you always thought was out of your reach or frivolous.
Finding that extra money in the pocket of your jeans.
Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and realizing it's actually the end of the struggle, and NOT another train.
Being mad, upset, hurt, while driving through the rain and thinking "hot damn im in a music video"

 

[Mayonaise]

Thank you for sharing, I really appreciate that.

First time driving

I actually enjoyed driving very much. I was - still am? - a very good driver. My instructor was very professional and super cool, he made you feel so at ease.
I learnt driving with manual transmission cars and gas/clutch pedals coordination was crucial. Very difficult to achieve at first, but once it's learnt it makes up for a very pleasant drive

First time snorkeling. and second, and third.

I 100% agree, I loved snorkeling and still do. Many of my seaside vacation memories are related to snorkeling. A few years ago I spotted stingrays and sea slugs in the Canary Islands.

Long drives with a car you like. Bonus if there are people you like as well with you.

Relate with this too, although in my case "people you like" was replaced by blasting music.


Please allow me to send you some hugs. And thank you for making me feel less alone

 

[Slow_Farewell]

Thank you for sharing, I really appreciate that.


I actually enjoyed driving very much. I was - still am? - a very good driver. My instructor was very professional and super cool, he made you feel so at ease.
I learnt driving with manual transmission cars and gas/clutch pedals coordination was crucial. Very difficult to achieve at first, but once it's learnt it makes up for a very pleasant drive


I 100% agree, I loved snorkeling and still do. Many of my seaside vacation memories are related to snorkeling. A few years ago I spotted stingrays and sea slugs in the Canary Islands.


Relate with this too, although in my case "people you like" was replaced by blasting music.


Please allow me to send you some hugs. And thank you for making me feel less alone

Not if I hug you first. LOL.
TBH, i like your post. ray of sunshine of sorts. thank you!