What is the one memory you would take with you?

Years ago Uwe and I went to see a little foreign film called "After Life" and even though it's been years since I've seen it, it's one of those films that's stayed with me because the idea behind it is so thought provoking.

"After Life" is a 1998 Japanese film, (the original title is "Wandafuru raifu"), and the basic gist is this:

After people die, they go to this place (think purgatory) where they spend a week with counselors, also dead, who help them pick one memory, the only memory they can take with them to eternity. They describe the memory to the staff who work with a crew to film it and screen it at week's end.

The ingenious concept of picking one memory to recreate and take with you to eternity...aka after life...makes special effects unnecessary. I loved that it's not how the recreation/reenactment of the memory looks, but rather the memories and emotions that the recreation brings back. Each person had a unique memory that was meaningful to them.

The movie picked up quite a cult following here and many ppl went back to see it again and again and then went to a nearby coffee shop to talk about it with others. One reviewer described the movie as "A Beautiful Meditation On Life And Death." And that's exactly what it is.

What is the one memory you would take with you? I'm interested in seeing ppl's comments.
At the time, after seeing the movie, the one memory I would have wanted to keep was one of my earliest memories. I was around 3 at the time and watching tv when this one commercial came on with this gum tree. At 3 years old, chewing gum my sweet of choice. I really wanted a tree like that, but I didn't think it was possible. I must have let out a big sigh because my mother heard me and asked me what I was thinking about. At first I didn't want to tell her because it sounded too baby-ish. But she kept asking so I finally told her and was surprised by her response. "We can do that," she said. I was hesitantly doubtful at first "Really?" My mom took me by the hand and said "Come on, let's do it." She took out a full carton of Juicy Fruit gum and we spent an hour unwrapping and scotchtaping individual pieces of gum to leaves on our tree in the backyard. It was a huge tree with branches and leaves that hung low to the ground. When we were done I stood beneath that tree and danced around with pure joy in my heart. My mom had helped me make my dream come true. I just had to use a little imagination. Being a kid it meant the world to me. It was the one memory I had of being completely happy.

But my memory selections keep changing as I get older and live and experience more.

The next memory I thought I would choose to keep was one that I experienced with Uwe in Joshua Tree National Park. Uwe took me there for the first time back in 2003 and if you get why it's so special, then you got out of the car and sat there for an hour just soaking it up and then walked around. You can't fully experience it if you just drive through. At first glance it's just the desert, barren except for dirt and rocks and Joshua trees. It looks like there's nothing for miles, but if you look closely there's so much to see.
Uwe and I were walking and came to a ledge and looked down. It was the perfect moment. It had been cold and windy but just then the sun came out and hit the horizon in a way that everything lit up. Suddenly it was warm and the landscape was breathtaking. The colors were dazzling. I felt like I was walking in a painting. We both felt it and were smiling from ear to ear. (In the pic above I got a shot of Uwe at that moment. Unfortunately the camera doesn't do the light justice. I think if you double click on the pic you can see the full size and see the happy expression on Uwe's face.) I guess the reason that memory is so special to me is because it was the first time I had experienced such peace and happiness and I got to share it with the love of my life.
Today if you ask me to choose a memory, it would be different yet again. It would be a memory that involved my family (me, Uwe, and Astrid) being together. One evening Uwe and I were sitting on the couch and we were both looking at Astrid and Uwe said, "That's my daughter." Just those three words said so much between us. Everything we've gone through together and the hope and promise of the future. We both smiled and looked lovingly at each other and our daughter Astrid. (Above is a pic of us celebrating my first Mother's Day.)