I’m grappling with forgetfulness.
“Remember when…” Saniha says as we drive to brunch. My mind draws a blank. Her excitement fades as I struggle to recall. I quote Friedrich Nietzsche, “The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.”
She’s unimpressed. It’s not just the small details—I’ve even forgotten our wedding anniversary three times. What are the chances she forgets that? I read her Jack London, “To be able to forget means sanity.” All I receive is a cold stare.
Saniha often outlines plans for us, but come the appointed day, I’m caught off guard. It’s not manipulation on her part; I simply can’t retain our conversations. What’s worse, I’m losing precious memories of our children’s early years. Their faces blur in old photographs, a disconcerting sign of my failing memory.
And it’s encroaching on my work. Recently, I found myself staring at my laptop screen, unable to recall my tasks. The worry crept in: what if my forgetfulness hampers my ability to think and write effectively?
Yet, amidst this frustration, I find solace in neuroscience research. It suggests that forgetting can stem from rigorous thinking and creativity. Michael Anderson, a professor at the University of Cambridge, emphasizes that the brain adeptly balances remembering and forgetting to optimize memory usage.
Far from indicating cognitive decline, forgetfulness clears the space for fresh and innovative ideas. It might even signal the growth of new neurons, enhancing memory in unexpected ways. “Forgetting is what we want and need to do,” says Anderson, “while remembering is the human frailty.”
Sorry, Saniha.
Just saying--it sounds like you might need to get more and better sleep!