When the 2015 movie “Inside Out” was first released, our family fell in love with the film. Over the years, we’ve grown more attached to it, especially the concept of building core memories.

If you haven’t seen it,  It’s the story of a pre-teen who moves across country and struggles with her emotions who are depicted as a colorful cast of characters residing in her subconscious.

It resonated with our own military family, even though Riley’s family is not military connected.

In the movie, we see the core memories Riley has made over time.

The milestones in her life that she will forever remember, good or bad. Those that shape her as a person.

Memories like the first time she scored a goal in hockey or making cookies with her parents. 

There are the obvious core memories: winning the lottery, getting your driver’s license, getting married, or watching your baby take their first steps.

Those awesome moments that you know you will remember forever. The smells, the sights, the sound, the feeling.

During these moments, our family will sometimes say to one another, “core memory,” and the three of us know exactly what that means. 

On a Christmas vacation several years ago, we were able to attend a sea turtle release and hold freshly hatched sea turtles in coconut shells and watch them as they made their way down to the water.

Core memory. 

Right before a big move, in her last show with her dance studio (which she’s returned to as a teen!) our then-7-year-old was cast as an angel and a solder in The Nutcracker. As tears streamed down her smiling face as she ran out of the audition room, I knew.

Core memory.

My husband thinks about stepping on the ice at Joe Louis Arena, the then-home of our beloved Detroit Red Wings in 5th grade. He remembers the feeling of the freshly Zambonied ice under his skates while the arena lights were still mostly dark.

The smells of the ice and the sweat laden equipment. He remembers the moment it hit him that he was sitting on THE bench.

Core memory.

But you never know what might make a core memory. 

This summer, my teenage daughter and I went to visit my parents and my hometown. Just after our early wake-up call, we saw that our flight was already delayed, and we were prompted to select another flight to avoid weather.

We took off without issue, but on our layover, we saw delay after delay for hours on end.

At nearly midnight, our flight was finally canceled and rebooked for the next morning. 

With only a few hours before our new super early flight, we (and the rest of our flight) decided to hunker down in the airport.

We made friends with our flight mates.

We shared stories and watched as restless kids rode the moving sidewalk for hours.

We chatted with the night cleaning crews after the airport effectively closed (and learned what time Dunkin’ would open!) and we found the comfiest chairs we could.

Without a wink of sleep, we boarded the airplane the next morning and on the jetway my daughter thanked me.

I’m sure the look on my face was of confusion and total exhaustion, but she just smiled and said, “Core memory.”

I listen to my Dad tell stories and describe the hand pies my great-grandmother made him as a kid and I can almost taste them.

Core memories.

My Mom recalls a game of lawn Jarts in her youth and finding a Jart firmly implanted in her leg. She’s usually laughing as she tells the story of my great aunt’s bad throw. 

She still has the scar. (If you don’t know what Jarts are, look them up! It’s amazing that these were sold as toys.)

Core memories. 

Yep, core memories can happen in the most unlikely of places.

Sometimes as adults, I think we focus so much on the perfection. The big birthday parties. The trips to Disney World. Those things are beautiful and will undoubtedly form fantastic memories.

But, our kids are making core memories every day.

We are making core memories every day.

If we live in the moment and are still, we might see them form right before our very eyes. 

*To read more from Sheila, Check out her M:M Author Page.