Strangely, I barely remember my best friend's phone number. But I do recall the birthday of a man I met once. In a bar. While intoxicated. Several years ago. I remember the first words he spoke, what he was wearing, how he smelled and even tasted.
I remember the color of the cup I used at the last thanksgiving I spent with my ex husband's family over ten years ago.
I'm not sure that either of those examples are still so vivid because of any type of self preservation. Those are the types of things that should be fleeting. I should recall a thanksgiving dinner, sure. And maybe I should even recall a random handsome stranger. But not with such detail that I feel like it just happened.
Lately, I'm not certain I'm storing much of anything. I can't recall without much deliberation some of the events that happened within only the past few months. Maybe someday in the future they'll come washing over me. Or maybe my brain said "out with the bad!". I can't say for sure, but I want more memories like the random handsome stranger...