But I'll never forget...

As a way to focus on the important part of a memory, the phrase ‘I’ll never forget’ has to top the list. All of these snippets use it. What do they have in common?

I played it, and I will never forget the feeling that came over the room, including me.

Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove(2013)

Only two moments remain clearly in my mind. The first lasted not more than five seconds but I will never forget it.

Boy(1984)

Her name was Frances. I’ll never forget Frances for as long as I live.

The Color of Water(1995)

Even without knowing any details beyond the snippets, you can see how ‘I’ll never forget’ is very emotional—the memory is usually something very significant to the story.

Here’s another snippet with the phrase. In it, Alfons Heck remembers when he was a young boy and first saw Adolf Hitler give a speech.

I don't recall the exact content of the speech 45 years later, but I'll never forget its emotional impact.

A Child of Hitler(1985)

In this snippet, Heck uses his memories of an event to show what was important about an event—not the speech itself, but how the German leader successfully used his power and charisma to motivate people into following him.

Here are some examples with that pattern.

I can't remember what the judges said when they gave me third prize for best cake, but I'll never forget the fire it lit in me to improve myself.

Exactly why Dad quit the trucking company has faded away in my mind, but I'll never forget how sad and lost he was for the months afterwards.

Write a passage that includes the phrase ‘I’ll never forget’ following the same pattern as the snippet. Boost the emotional impact of your memory by saying what details you can’t remember.

Memoir Basics 2: Using memory to tell a story

But I'll never forget...