Last night I promised someone that I would write this morning about “memory”. The someone I promised was concerned that their name would be spread around my millions of readers as someone with memory concerns. He should not have been concerned because after all, it’s been 12 hours or so since I spoke with him, and I don’t remember with whom I was speaking. And even if I did remember who he was by picturing his face, I probably would not remember his name. So……no worry, friend (are you a friend? I don’t remember).

It was an interesting conversation because he has decided to enroll in a memory assistance class, given by a psychologist. I don’t know how many sessions there will be, and I am sure that if he gets to the first session, he will get to the second (and, if he doesn’t, going to the first was a waste of time). But how will remember the date, the time, or the place of that first session? He said he would write a note, he would add it to his list(s). Reminded me of the Liberty Biberty insurance add, where the daughter gives her mother a hint as to how to save money on insurance, and the mother says she will make a note of it on her phone. She then takes a post-it, writes something on it, and adds it to the other post-its which she has stuck on her phone.

Many of us notice memory issues as we age. And of course they can become serious, as we know. But often they don’t, they are just irritating. Small things, you know. Did I already have dinner? Maybe. Did I already have desert? I don’t think so, better have another.

Yeah, I read that book already. What’s it about? I have no clue. Who wrote it? I don’t know. Are you sure you read it? Well, maybe I didn’t. Same with films, plays, everything else.

But how much difference does that make? We went to a baseball game yesterday. The Nats lost big. It was frustrating, and – had the Nats instead won – it would have been exhilarating. But two weeks from now, I may not remember if the Nats won or lost. After all, we have been to a few games earlier this year. I don’t remember the results, who pitched for the Nats, who we played, etc.

If you see a film and like it, does it make a difference that you might have seen it before and not remembered? If you forget, in a few weeks, that you even saw the film, again – so what?

The old joke: He asked the elderly man how it is that he still calls his wife of 50 years “honey” and “love”. The man responded “I forgot her name a long time ago, and I am just too embarrassed to ask her what it is.”

Yes, things can get serious – you forget your children’s names (or grandchildren’s), or you can’t get home if you are more than two blocks away. Or you don’t remember if you took your daily pills (and don’t have a reminder system).

But until and unless you get to this stage – my hope would be that you could just go with the flow. Sure, like my friend, you can get treatment to help you with your memory (giving you hints on how not to forget the things that you need to remember for your own health and safety, I assume), and that’s probably a good thing. But to take these new medicines that stave off serious memory loss for a few months but at the same time threaten severe side effects? Why bother?

Watching TV last night, I saw a pharmaceutical ad (for some drug or other – I have no idea what it was) that told you that this medicine can take your rotten life and turn it into a perfect life, but that you need to be concerned about possible serious adverse side effects, like sudden death and things like that. Really?

It is all part of the aging process. So relax and let it go as long as you can.

This is the first post I have written on this subject, right? Or do I just not remember.