14 Moments When People Realized Life Wouldn’t Be the Same Anymore

Certain moments in life impact our emotions, shaping who we are and how we see the world, especially when they happen in our childhood. The stories shared here have deeply affected these individuals, staying with them long after the events occurred.

• I worked at a small photo studio. A woman came in and asked for passport photos. After I took them, she started yelling at me for them not being in black and white, even though she had agreed to color. After fifteen minutes, I started crying. Then, an older gentleman in the line walked up to her, handed her a refund from his own pocket, and told her to get out. About fifteen minutes after he left the store, he returned with ice cream for me just to cheer me up. That guy was the best customer ever. © Unknown author / Reddit

• I was hanging out with some friends at the local coffee shop and asked my father to pick me up. When I saw him pull into the parking lot, I said goodbye to my friends and walked out to the car. I opened the back door and slid into the seat, only to see a man who wasn’t my dad.
  He looked at me and said, “I’ll give you whatever you want, just don’t harm me or steal my car.” Realizing my mistake, I apologized, jumped out of the car, and ran back into the coffee shop. © Unknown author / Reddit

• When I was about 3 years old, my dad encouraged me to remove the training wheels from my bike. I was a bit scared, but eventually, I agreed. He pushed me, and on my first try, I rode for about 100 meters. Every time I remember this, I cry because I recall looking back and seeing my dad’s tears of happiness. © SnowPrimate / Reddit

• When I was little, my mom made me a gorgeous birthday cake. It was pink with matching icing, and she even put money inside. Our neighbor came over with her five-year-old son. He was looking at my cake on the table, slipped, and his arm went right through it. I cried. I know it was an accident, but still... © Gleesa / Reddit

• When I was 7, I thought it would be a good idea to take a $100 bill off the counter and bring it to school to “find” it. I hoped I could keep it, but the teachers outside made me return it to the front office.
  They said I could keep it if no one claimed it. Sure enough, someone did claim it, and I was incredibly disappointed, without any money. Ah, good times. © GeneralBlumpkin / Reddit

• My mom passed away at the end of my eighth-grade year. My high school has a mother/son mass and breakfast every year that I couldn’t go to because of obvious reasons. My friend’s mom asked if she could take me this year with her son. She treated me like her son, and then, after breakfast, she took me to where my mom was buried and gave me flowers to place on the grave. It made my entire junior year to know that someone could be so kind. © likemike2233 / Reddit

• I’ll always remember my oldest memory: being a little kid, about 5 years old. It felt like I woke up for the first time that day like nothing had happened to me before, as if I was born a 5-year-old kid. I also remember, on the same day, talking to my mom and then stopping to think, “How do I know she’s my mother?” © Unknown author / Reddit

• A few years ago, I was helping a man who seemed like he needed help with a mundane task. I ended up doing the majority of the task, and when we were done, we engaged in small talk. Towards the end of the conversation, he said something to the effect of, “You are the type of person that people can take advantage of.”
  Since then, I’ve had reservations about helping people every time the opportunity presents itself. © Unknown author / Reddit

• In kindergarten, when the teacher was doing roll call, she said my name, but I ignored her. She called my name again. Once again, I ignored her. She looked at me and asked why I wasn’t answering.
  I told her, “From now on, I want everyone to call me Michael Jackson. My name is now Michael Jackson.” The look on her face was as if she were saying, “Oh, you poor thing.” © pajaromuygrande / Reddit

• When I was younger, still in elementary school, I was sitting in my living room doing homework and watching Nickelodeon. I told myself, “Wouldn’t it be strange if I tried to remember this moment for the rest of my life?”
  And so I did. For no reason whatsoever, almost 20 years later, I still remember that instant. I was a strange kid. © drifterinthadark / Reddit

• One Easter when I was younger, my Dad bought my sister and me 12 Crème Eggs to share. We had one on Easter and planned to enjoy it more the next day.
  To our dismay, they were all gone. Dad had eaten 10 in one night and claimed they were about to go off, so he had no choice. We were disappointed. © segfaultless / Reddit

• I grew up very poor. Dinner was toast with a little cheese on top. At 12, I went to a then-friend’s fancy house for a group project. Her mom had set a nice table with an assortment of hot dishes. I was excited and very hungry.
  As we ate, everyone was looking at me strangely. When I started to cut my meat, her mom freaked out. She looked at me and shouted, “Are you mad? You’re going to hurt yourself! That’s not how we hold a knife to cut meat!” She approached me and held my hand as she taught me the right way to do it. I blushed and apologized, saying it had been a while since I ate meat.
  Later that day, when I got home, I was shocked to find a note in my pocket that said, “Our doors are open for you. You can come over for dinner anytime.” For a full year, I spent one day a week at their place, enjoying their hot meals and abundant tables. I will always be grateful for my friend’s family. Later, as we grew older, we grew apart, but I will never forget their kindness.

• Walking past a group of people, I noticed they were all laughing. I looked at them and gave a friendly smile. One of them said, “We aren’t laughing with you, we are laughing at you.” Ten years later, that moment is still burnt into my memory. © Unknown author / Reddit

• In second grade, after coming back to the classroom from recess, I noticed I had a hangnail. I stopped in front of my teacher and asked her for a nail clipper. She laughed hysterically and said she needed to “write that one down in her book.” I never did get that nail clipper. © mikeydervish / Reddit

Another powerful experience that can leave a lasting impression is when young children recall memories from previous lives. The intriguing stories in this article are sure to give you chills and might make you ponder the deeper meaning of our existence.