On forgetting things

Michael Anderson, a memory researcher at the University of Oregon in Eugene, has tried to estimate the cost in time of forgetting things. "According to a decade's worth of "forgetting diaries" kept by his undergraduate students (the amount of time it takes to find the car keys, for example), Anderson calculates that people squander more than a month of every year just compensating for things they've forgotten." (National Geographic)"

I'm usually pretty good about remembering stuff. Over the years I've developed habits for putting keys on their hook, receipts in their file, and books on their shelves so that I don't waste a month of my life looking for them. Remembering is a skill that is helpful and necessary in my job. ("necessary" is a word I always forget how to spell!). As an assistant, a big part of my job is to help my boss remember various appointments, meetings, phone calls, and names. I have found that my ability to remember useless trivia like how to say the ingredients of a Big Mac sandwich backwards (it was a contest), has transferred over to being able to remember who mentioned that their wife might want to help head up the church picnic planning committee or what is the name of the 3rd child of that huge family that homeschools. It seems like God has a sense of humor about how he gives us ways to use our natural gifts.

Sometimes other people remember things involving us that we have no recollection of taking part in. Years ago, a woman who had just started coming to a Bible study I was involved in shared with our group that she remembered a day when I came in to the clothing shop she owned. As I was standing in line, a woman clearly cut in front of me. As she worked the register, she was surprised that I didn't make a fuss, but just let it go. I said something about how she must have been in a hurry, paid for my purchase, and went on my way without any sign of anger or malice. Something about it sparked her, and she wondered what made me different. She had come to know Jesus, and noted it as a signpost of sorts--God showing her a glimpse of a different way of living--one she later attributed to my living as a follower of Jesus. I had no idea of the impact at the time (I'm just usually weirdly patient in lines) and really no recollection of it, other than maybe a vague memory of being in the store.

I just hope I've forgotten more things like that.