A memory marker is something that reminds me of a story. Memories that may be way in the back of my brain that I’ve not though about in years come flooding back when one of my senses gets hit with something that reminds me of that past event or story.

It happened this morning. I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a picture of Gumby. Gumby is a stop-motion animated clay character. When I was a kid, Gumby and his side kick, Pokey, came on every weekend on tv. Seeing that picture this morning was a memory marker that took me down a rabbit hole – come go with me.

When I saw Gumby, I thought of a particular episode when Gumby asks his mother if he can have some crackers and milk. That reminder took me to my father: he loved Premium saltine crackers with hard cheese or sometimes just a little butter. When I was a kid there were times my father and I would sit and have a “coffee break” together. Daddy would pull out the Premium saltines and some cheese or butter. He would pour himself a cup of coffee (from the percolator not a coffee maker), I would get a glass of chocolate milk, and we would sit and have a “coffee break” together.

That memory lead me to the black and white sandwich cookies he would buy. They were always in the house. He would get a couple, put them in his pocket, and we would walk around the yard a bit before sitting to have a picnic with those cookies. He continued that tradition with his grandchildren; my kids and I named those cookies “Grandpa cookies.”

That memory directed me to my new granddaughter, Jubilee. When little Jubilee says, “Grandmommie, tell me a story,” I’ll be sure to have a cookie in my pocket.