Remember to forget

I remember numerous occasions in a familiar setting – me sitting in an examination hall. Scratching my head, how I wish I could retain more of what I read the previous night. Try as hard as I would do, the answers just wouldn’t come to me. And I would come back home with a report card which read “Can do better, must try harder!”

My childhood memories were triggered by a recent bout of ‘I can’t remember moments’. Be it time spent searching for keys or arguments lost searching for words; there is lot to be gained from remembering things. Surely, it would be better for us all if we could remember everything we see, hear, read and experience. 

Would it really be a good thing to remember everything from your past? Heartbreaks and headaches, bruises and betrayal, failures, flare-ups and fall-outs – There are things that I would rather forget.

While we often complain about not remembering things, I think we often overlook our power to forget things. It helps us start afresh, on a clean slate. I also believe forgetting plays a big part in forgiving – yourself and others.

Let’s take the time spent searching for the house keys, getting upset over missed birthdays, and everything I wanted to write after this but forgot as a small price to pay for this amazing gift. 

Image courtesy: Corbis.com