Another Small Memory Lapse

Just another 'all is well, nothing to worry about, simply way-over-informationed' memory lapse that reflects these harried times in which we live....like THE OTHER ONE I HAD.

I started, I’d say, well, I can’t exactly remember when, but I started realizing I was forgetting to bring things with me like keys, wallet, cell phone…you know, small stuff, then when I was out, forgetting where I put things like my car or why I was in the tropical plant store or why I just crossed the state line into Connecticut…again, just nit-picky small things.

Just ‘all is well, nothing to worry about, simply way-over-informationed' memory lapses that reflect these harried times in which we live.'

To remedy these ‘nothing to worry about, simply way-over-informationed memory lapses that reflect these harried times in which we live,’ I decided to print up a sign that read…

Do You Have Everything You Need?

…and tape it at the top of my stairs and on the front door.

And it worked. I mean, I guess, that is, I honestly have no recollection for the period of time – however long that may have been - regarding the issue until one night, that is, when I was jogging on my exercise trampoline...I'm sorry, THE one night I was jogging on my trampoline. I use it 364 days a year set against the wall for towels, the odd sock, airing out t shirts everyone (course my everyone is 3) says is way past time to be washed.

Excuse me for "going green." Talking without walking is just, well, talking without walking. You gots to walk the talk.

Anyway, on this particular night, I was jogging on my trampoline – fine, fine, fast-walking, fine, walking…”would you believe…?” (Love ‘Get Smart’ – the TV series, not the movie)…I was looking for another odd sock to go with the one other odd sock I had in my hand (yes, this means I finally admit I don’t use it for exercise. I’m just way to busy being green - EXCCCUUUSSSSEEEE MEEEE!!! - Been listening to a lot of stand-up genius Steve Martin), when I see this sign on my wall:

Do You Have Everything You Need?

After I said: What the hell is that? I started realizing it was probably some Buddhist-Zen-very Dalai Lama thing and began taking inventory of what is truly a NEED vs. a WANT. All m DVDs for example. Sure I need the 53" flat screen TV, but now that I rent DVDs (able to have 3 out at a time, no more), do I really need to own all of them? The answer of course is probably only 90%. I felt good knowing some day I would donate that 10% or 5%, between 5% and 10% or less, probably less...but more than 0%. DEFINITELY more than zero I decided and smiled.

Smiled at my self-awareness, smiled at the fact I could take such an open and critical viewpoint and determine there was one thing I somewhat, sort of, kinda, maybe a little bit, possibly needed to change some day and how better off the world would be because of my sacrifice...the as-of-yet-undetermined-day-in-the-future-sacrifice.

Anyway, the reason can't-remember-exactly-when-it-took-place-night has come back to me tonight as my car is parked in a Connecticut strip mall, and I'm in a tropical plant store without my wallet, cell phone, searching for the keys I've lost as the manager desperately wants to close up, I remember…

THE SIGN I MADE WASN’T SOME BUDDHIST-ZEN-VERY-DALIA LAMA THING...

…but a literal thing reminding me to make sure I have everything I need….which I had remembered to forget to remember (a little play on the song title "I Forgot To Remember To Forget").

Two good things though:

1. It ISs all ‘just another, all is well, nothing to worry about, simply way-over-informationed memory lapse that reflects the harried times in which we live and...

2. I get to keep my DVDs.