On Self-Forgetting
Written by Kendall Bergman
Have you been forgetful lately? You go into the other room looking for something and less than 5 seconds later you can’t remember why. You pick up the phone to call or text someone and as soon as you’ve pulled up your messages, it’s gone…who were you reaching out to and what you were going to say or type? It’s just gone. Sometimes these things return and we remember what we needed in the other room…a pen or a book or a glass of water. We recall who we were reaching out and it seems as plain as the nose on our face.
I don’t know about you, but this has been happening more frequently for me since March 2020. Yes, it’s true…I entered menopause shortly after the pandemic showed up, but I believe that is only partially responsible for this forgetting I experience…and not just me, but all of us. We have all been impacted and traumatized by shut-downs, shelter-in-place requirements, COVID tests, isolation, frantic vaccinations, lingering fear, increased polarization, politics and politicians and the list goes on and on.
In this splintered, fractured and broken world, it’s not only the little things we forget. We also forget the big things…like who we are, where we find our worth and why we have been created and put on this earth in the first place.
We have increasingly forgotten basic human kindness and gratitude…a sort of collective forgetting has permeated our culture, communities and relationships since COVID became part of our lives. I believe the longer we remain in isolation…away from other human beings…the more we easily and quickly forget. We not only forget one another…we forget ourselves. We are image-bearers of an incredibly compassionate, loving and kind God. This is who we are, where our worth is derived and why we are here.
We remember most readily, clearly and consistently in the context of relationships. It is paramount we find a way to share this life with others…within community and proximity. I don’t know what this will look like for you, but I implore you…reach out to your significant other, best friend, next door neighbor, co-worker and share what’s going on with you. Let others in as well. Be a listening ear and an encourager. Be the friend you want for yourself. And invite others to remind you who you are. You are an image-bearer with extraordinary beauty, potential and hope.
What might it look like to begin your own journey of shifting from a persistent self-forgetter to an intentional rememberer? If you’re interested in exploring where to begin, don’t hesitate to reach out to Kendall (kendall@thediscoverywell.com) to schedule a complimentary discovery session today.