My first dog was a blonde Pomeranian who was named Scooby after the show I was horribly obsessed with as a child. I got him when I was very small and up until about five years ago I felt that I remembered the day I got him perfectly. I remember going to a friend of my mom’s house and seeing all these adorable pom puppies. They were all so cute but I saw one that I instantly felt madly in love with. I desperately wanted to take him home and I told my mom. Upon further conversation with the woman who had the puppies, we came to find out that he was deaf and unfortunately born without eardrums. This little munchkin had never been able to hear a thing. That was no problem for me however and we decided to take him home.

After telling this story to many people and explaining why he wouldn’t respond when someone called him, it was revealed to me that the story went a bit differently. As a puppy Scooby was in immaculate health. He had eardrums and they were perfectly intact. One day however, when I was very small, I was playing with him and either dropped him or threw him down a couple of stairs. I cannot remember this in the slightest and I feel that I must stress that I absolutely love animals and I would never harm an animal. I don’t even eat meat and haven’t for over six years now so this realization has burdened me with so much guilt. Apparently that drop caused serious injury to both ear drums and he was never able to hear again.

I am not sure whether I was told this by my family to take the guilt off or if I switched the truth in my own memory subconsciously. False memory is such a scary thing. We value our memories and hold on to them and usually see them to be the truth with zero uncertainty. I don’t remember that drop but I can almost vividly imagine my scenario as I have remembered it for years. It is sad to think not even our own memories are reliable and how easily they can be influenced. How much do you really know what you think you know?