I understand Dementia patients with stickie notes now. People forget. I overbook myself, run out of energy, then become frustrated when I fail. All along I should know better. But I’ve forgotten I lack the muscle I once had. Excitement rules for a time. If only the sheer exuberance could give me energy.

When we experience an event, we should remember it for the rest of our lives. It should remain prominent and be available for recall should we need it for use in our current moment. For instance, if it snowed today and I wondered if this the most significant snow, I would search through my memories to compare all the storms. No, there was the year I had a collie, and we played outside together. That was deep snow. It was 13 inches, I believe. No stickies, all memories.

Fail

Some of our recall fails. Or worse, we are in a state of mind which forgets to inquire. This has been my problem. Failure to recall. Too caught up in my own drama to see anything outside of the pain. I was under the blanket of snow.

Going back to a post I did called, Slowing Down To A Human Crawl, I spoke of the medication which I still take. I needed to remember that time. There was a reason for my exhaustion. I could stop searching for vitamin deficiencies and unique treatments. In the gap of memory, I lost the part of medication making me tired and looked for remedies. Which is similar to wearing your glasses while searching for them. Humans have a strange ability to stab themselves in the eye yet forget who blinded them.

History

Each generation of our humanity surrenders to the next its habits and customs. If we were to jump back 500 years in time to visit our ancestors it would be like visiting a foreign country. And the same thing happens if we were to hang around 500 years ourselves. It would be difficult to keep up with the changes.

What Scholars Think English Will Sound Like in 100 Years

Ounce of Prevention

How do we remember our weaknesses to prevent an unfortunate lapse in judgment? Know you’re fallible. Put the dates and names of your children on their pictures because, Yes! You will forget which adorable child it was in that picture. Label your medications. Remember your own death as the Buddhist instruct. One day you will be your legacy to the next generation. Have fun now, and don’t wait. Hug your loved ones without hesitation. All we have is today.

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.

Nelson Mandela