Elephants.

O, how quick I am to forget.
Isn't there a verse about that, "Be quick to forget, slow to speak and slow to become angry"? Oh, wait. No, that's quick to listen. I would feel a little bit better about my memory lapses if that were the verse though. If only scripture would endorse my faults and make my life easier. In some ways, it does simplify life. But mostly, this is not my experience. That is for another day altogether. I was going somewhere with this...

ah yes, my forgetfulness. I'm actually fairly embarrassed by my [frequent] tendencies to forget. I make light of it, often making fun of myself, calling myself a "flake" or a "space cadet". Names others have assigned to me unfortunately. Sometimes the truth hurts.

I forget where I put my car keys. I forget to call people back. I can't remember anything involving numbers. I forget what I learned in Anatomy, of which I took three different courses. I forget names, places, authors, artists, what I ate for breakfast, where I put my sweatshirt, which box I packed my scarves in [currently, the bane of my existence]. Regrettably, I consistently forget birthdays and important events. [Sorry loved ones] I'm constantly overbooking myself-because I forget previously made plans.

Sunday, I was reminded of something I had lost sight of-how good it is for me to walk. I read my profile write-up non-sense for this blog. And I wrote that, "I'm following my feet." Except I haven't been walking anywhere.
Really Jen? Must you literally walk to, "follow your feet"? The answer is emphatically, yes. Yes, I must literally walk. It reminds me of my smallness. My boundaries, limits and mortality. Again, really Jen? Just from walking? And again, I say yes. It makes me slow down enough to think. To think about what I'm forgetting.

It seems I am quick to forget the importance of Christ. Of Community. Of conversations and writing and breathing and reading and memorizing and praying. I am so quick to forget. I've heard that "elephants never forget". Maybe I just need bigger ears...?
Anyway, BBC says it's true.

"Elephants can certainly build up a memory over the years and hold on to it"

They also stated that,

"The older and more experienced the matriarch, the better she is at recognising old friends"

I'm not an elephant, but I hope that as I get older and more experienced, the better I am at recognizing 'old friends'. Some of these 'old friends' that I am so quick to forget. Like birthdays and where I put important things. But more importantly, my need for grace and community. The necessity of scripture, prayer and walking. Because after all, I am 'following my feet'. A simple pedestrian, following the adventure of The Way.