I’ve forgotten more than I know.
After high school, I went to college, and even took some advanced courses. But now I feel like I don’t remember so many things!
Take math. The Pythagorean theorem . . . the quadradic formula. Why do I know those words but have no idea what they are for?! Math is one subject I remember my kids saying, “Why learn it if you’re never going to use it again?” At the time it seemed like a ridiculous argument. But I have to tell you, now I’m not so sure.
How about history? I wish I knew history. I remember my high school history teacher prepared test questions that had to be trick questions. Question #3: When was the war of 1812? Really?? That was a test question?? It was a trick.
My husband knows history. Military history, geopolitical history . . . any old history. He can recite war after war, why it was fought, who won, and the airplanes that were flown into battle. That seems like important stuff to know. I’m sure I learned it at some point. So, it’s my resolution for this year: learn more history. Or I should say, re-learn history.
Unfortunately, it’s not just math and history that I’ve forgotten, both subjects my husband remembers in every excruciating detail. He remembers other stuff too. Like the car he drove and what I wore on our first date. I can’t remember what I wore this last Monday!
Perhaps what I forget most are people’s names. It’s so aggravating! You know you’ve met someone; they call you by your name, they look so familiar—but you can’t remember their name. Arg!! I have to warn you, if we meet at a networking or social event and you hand me your business card, as soon as I get home, I’m going to write clues on the back of the card to help me remember who you are. Let’s see— red hair, pink sweater, friend of Andria’s, lives on the same street as Marian. I don’t know if this helps, but it couldn’t hurt. Could it?
I think I’ve always worried about my memory and forgetting things. When the kids were little, I was afraid if they were out of my sight I would forget where they were. I worried I would go shopping and leave them in the shopping cart, or drop them off at school and forget to pick them up. None of those things happened, thank goodness, but it proves I have always worried about my memory.
Lately, with my newly emptied nest, I’ve been worried that I am going to forget what it was like to have children in the house. It would be okay to forget the tantrums and the squabbles. I just hope I never forget the laughter and the celebrations. Waking up early on Christmas morning, singing out of tune on birthdays, playing games in the swimming pool, and hanging out together around the dinner table.
I just hope I never forget the good stuff.
Beautiful and true! The wish and prayer to not forget- and the journey to strive to recall and recreate- photo albums, sitting with family and friends from the past to recall but yet create a new memory for years to come. ❤️🙏🤗
I have asked my children to gift me with Christmas ornaments that represent something good that happened to them during the year.Hopefully this will jog my memory :)