much more than what is pictured in their pages. The dated clothing, the people, the

locations... all of these are quite visible, and therefore appear memorable, but the fact is,

without the visual prompt, I probably wouldn't recollect many of the pictured events at all.

Things that made no major impact on my life remain simple illustrations in the back of my

mind or images in the album tucked away in the back of an unused closet.

Looking at a picture of my fifth birthday party, I can see who was there, what the

cake looked like, the gifts I received, but I can't remember much else. Other times in my

childhood I remember rather vividly, however. It's funny how memory is selective like

that, how certain things can be completely retold down to every last detail. Often,

however, a simple prompt can trigger an outpouring of memories that may have otherwise

remained hidden deep in the mind. A sight, a sound, perhaps a smell...all of these things

can trigger a deluge of retrospection.

We have a home movie of this party...it is grainy and of short duration, but it's a

great visual aid to my memory of life at that time. And it is in c

We matured at different rates, girls much more quickly at first. Day by day the gender gap

to turn to this simpler method of mass interaction. It was always the same, girls versus

to my life today...actually, you would be amazed at what one does learn at such a young

-Judith Ortiz Cofer, "Silent Dancing"

Some common words found in the essay are:
Elementary School, , Dancing Cofer, Silent Dancing, silent dancing, birthday party,
Approximate Word count = 996
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)