The 30-Day Writing Challenge
#LivingWriters #Viettothon30days
Week 1 – Day 1 – 21st Jan 2025
Topic #4: A Childhood Memory

I chose this topic because it felt like a coincidence—we had a similar workshop during our team meeting in the afternoon. Our facilitator, one of our teammates, turned off the lights, and we all sat in a circle with our eyes closed. Acting as a storyteller, she guided us to imagine a forest, where we discovered the first house—a house of our past, where we felt free to enjoy life when we were younger.

What surprised me was the house I visualized. It was a very peaceful house, with a mother cooking and a child studying at a round table. They exchanged occasional glances, full of warmth and connection. But it wasn’t my childhood at all—it was the house I’ve always dreamed of. I couldn’t recall any of my own childhood memories in that house. I tried harder and harder but still couldn’t. Did I really not have any happy moments as a child in my house? I should have, right? I believe everyone has at least one, but during that exercise, I couldn’t recall any.

Then, it hit me. I understood the reason: I had so many childhood experiences that I’ve wanted to forget forever—memories that still hurt me to this day. I’ve packed all those memories, both good and bad, into a mental package and locked it away in a safety locker in my mind. I’ve been trying to escape the past, always believing in a brighter future.

However, I’ve realized I need to learn and practice recalling the good memories I have. For example, how my mom would use leftover fabric to sew pretty clothes for my doll, or how my dad would drive me to the city center to buy computer games related to fashion design (my childhood dream was to become a fashion designer). I know there are more good memories. I need to unlock that mental package, retrieve the good ones, and feel grateful for them.

At the same time, I remind myself that I love my parents, and I know they love me too. I shouldn’t blame them, because our experiences shape us in ways that sometimes cause us to unintentionally hurt the people we love. It didn’t start with them, nor with me. It’s a pain passed down through generations—a concept I learned from the book It Didn’t Start with You.

I sometimes reflect on such memories alone, but this was the first time I did it as part of a group. I truly appreciate what our facilitator brought to us—how she helped us reconnect with our past and brought us together in this meaningful way.

Thank you for your readings.