Lasting impressions

Are there events from your past that conjure up images that feel like they happened only yesterday? These are the times that remain indelibly etched in your memory. They may be about firsts. A first kiss. A first day of school. A first ride on a bicycle. Perhaps they are about an experience that transcended words. Seeing Niagara Falls. Being part of an incident shared by thousands of people simultaneously. Winning first prize in a competition. Some of my lasting impressions include my first ride on a roller coaster that scared me half to death, learning that President Kennedy had just been assassinated, and walking across the stage to receive my doctorate. While lasting impressions can be associated with joy and the unexpected, they can also be based on sadness. My mother's funeral, finding out that my first childhood pet had to be put down, and my first serious relationship that came to an end. Think back to events in your life that will remain with you long after they pass in reality. What is it about them that leaves such a lasting impression?