There are days and events that are common to the memories of many. We use them as links to new acquaintance. A favourite question “Where were you when you heard of…………..” Or “Do you remember watching………………?”
For a long time (for my generation) it was “where were you when you heard of Kennedy’s assassination? “
To my sorrow it’s only the geeks who ever asked “where were you/how did you see the first moon landing?”
Then to my horror I started running into people who laughed and said “I wasn’t born then.” I was ageing.
So the world moves on and we find new points of convergence.
The Charles/Diana wedding, provided that to a degree. Diana’s death provided another one for a long time.
Then the September 11th events in New York, reverberated around the world for so long. Another point of common reference for people.
Then the December 26th tsunami. The world hadn’t seen such a dramatic one in a populated area for a long time. The horror of it, the surprise, still offers people a time-point for reference.
It’s often the deaths, sudden, surprising, shocking, horrifying that we remember in common.
I can remember so clearly the day I was held up by two men with guns. After seeing the police I went to my favourite coffee shop for breakfast, and there on TV were the reports coming from London of the bombs. It’s a link that will always be there for me, not for anyone else.
However it would be a far nicer world if the really happy things made us remember.
Remember the day 17 years ago when we all stood in long queues to vote TOGETHER? (this is just for us South Africans) One of the happy ones, repression had been beaten (we believed).
Remember your own wedding? A child’s birth? Families have these in common, smaller recognition points but the personal ones can be the sweetest.
I wonder if today’s wedding will be one of those happy remembered events we use as a ‘time tick’ to locate happenings in our own lives.
Viewfromtheside's Blog 
What a thoughtful post, Sidey. Thank you for stirring memories – albeit positive and negative – and I too hope that today will mark a happy one 🙂
me too
A good read, Sidey. Our family lawyer lost his wife in the Tsunami.
so sad. at least my bad day left me only shaken
Sidey, in the scale of events the first time you all lined up together to vote must have been quite amazing. What a memory to cherish in the history of that vast beautiful land of yours.
It was an amazing event. Of course expectations were way too high.
You and I share a day, because I was there seventeen years ago. The Hub and I were astonished that some of our friends and family saw the queues and went home, coming back to vote next day.
Who wouldn’t want to be part of history in the making?
I really enjoyed this post.
I stood for 3 hours, or rather stood, shuffled, stood. all so good natured.
Twelve. Nine at one polling station, which never opened; and three at another. It was worth it.
and late in the day I was at the home of a rather powerful friend, the business-government discussions over declaring an emergency public holiday again thenext day. It was interesting to be in on the process that went on.
Wow! If you feel the urge, I won’t object to an email with details 🙂
ok
I remember the moon landing! 😀
And Diana’s wedding . . . and her funeral.
I enjoyed watching the tail end of the ceremony today. Definitely will be a memory shared by many.
I think so. It was a very personal wedding for such a public affair
Hi I randomly dropped into this post and loved it. I remember all those events – I’ll admit even back to Kennedy’s assassination and the moon landing so you know I’m of a certain age…. And though I wasn’t in S. Africa when you voted, we shared the excitement over here on CNN.
it’s nice to hear from someone of the same ‘certain age’ ;=)
Another one that sticks for me, although he was such a mess in the last while, was Michael Jackson’s death.
xx