Oops, I Did It Again: The Art of Forgetting Important Things

How painful it is to forget something that demands urgent attention.

Have you ever left home in a rush, only to realize you forgot a particular paper, item or even as small as an ATM card on the table but remembered when you actually needed it at that point?

It happens to me a lot and yes, to a lot of people.

I used to forget many things that I had to think a curse had been placed on me to always do that, mostly to things so important and almost at the deadline. I had to ask Google one time the cause of forgetfulness, and the lists ranged from rush, stress, procrastination, anxiety, depression and even lack of sleep.

Then it dawned on me how rushing things or being stressed, or even when it’s due to how we procrastinate until we finally forget. It’s normal to forget but when it becomes a continuous thing, I guess it calls for one to actually find a solution to it.

The feeling when you remember you forget something is always painful and annoying at the same time, especially when you start blaming yourself for the mistake you could have prevented.

Take for instance, times I would remember to put something in my handbag when going out and staring at it while still on the table, my mind would prompt me to pick it but instead, something else would distract me and I would say, “After this, I will take that thing,” and I get to keep procrastinating until I have left the house while the stuff is seated on the table which makes me forget.

The funny thing is how I wouldn’t remember until I needed to use that thing, and then my mind flashes back to how procrastination have led me to such a mistake, thereby feeling guilty and wanting to slap myself in the face.

Recently, I forgot something so important, not to me but to my dad. He called on this day requesting that he needed some foodstuffs, mostly ingredients, to make other foods that were at home. I assured him I would get back to him while I talked to my sisters about how we were going to go about it.

The thing is, though the money is in my care, especially when it comes to assisting some family members, but I need to consult my other sisters to get their permission as it isn’t something one person could decide on and once the decision has been made, I then go ahead to reimburse their accounts to do whatever they want with it.

As I promised my Dad to get back to him, my mind told me to immediately chat up my sisters so we could discuss once I hung up the call. But one way I forgot. Interestingly, I was on WhatsApp all through the day, and what does it take me to click on our family’s group chat and relay the message to them? My forgetfulness was at play.

My Dad had emphasized how important a particular foodstuff was to him and that I should get back to him as soon as possible, but guess what? I didn’t remember until after 4 days.

His call came in on this day and the whole thing came back like a flash to me. I remembered he had asked for something, and I knew it was so important also to me because he’s my dad, and we don’t want him to starve or lack any food in the house.

I felt so bad for how I had to forget such a thing. I was to be blamed seriously because, at that point, I saw it as I didn’t take him seriously, and I imagined how he must have survived those 4 days without the request being granted.

Immediately, I chatted with my sisters and discussed with them. I knew I made a mistake, and so I must speed up the whole process. It took a while for them to reply because of their time zones, and at that time, I wasn’t picking up his calls because I didn’t know what to tell him.

Later in the evening, I called him back and apologized and quickly, I did the transaction to the person meant to get those stuff for him and that settled it.

I have been trying my best to improve in this aspect of forgetting things not meant to me alone but others which then affect them, but most times, what I do is write them down. When I write things I need to do, it helps me to be reminded except if I just didn’t want to do them.

Another way I do this is by singing it out. When I’m doing something else, I would use the next item I need to get done as a song and would sing around the house or just in my mind so it would be replayed every time which would help me not to forget.

For instance, if I need to pick up a file while going out and still on the table. I might be in the bathroom or the kitchen but the echo of "file...file...file.." in a rhythmic manner would be in my mouth until I can pick it up and put in my bag.

These are ways I have been helping myself even though it doesn’t mean I won't forget another time but it’s a guarantee that I am working on myself as regards forgetfulness.

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