On The Memory Span Of Fish & Getting Things Done

One of the most common mistakes human beings make is forgetting things. That fact is courtesy of yours truly.

It seems like every day there’s something that slips my mind or passes under my mental radar. Occasionally, these are minor mishaps. Other times, they are major-heart-pounding-can’t-think-straight-how-the-Pixy-Stix-did-I-not-remember-that situations.

As I type this, I tend to glance down at my left hand every so often, because I see out of my peripheral vision that there is a smudge on my hand. Instead of remembering that it’s ink remnants from a reminder to myself from earlier in the day, I continue to peek down at it haphazardly believing it’s dirt or mascara smear or – I don’t know – a bug.

Ironic, isn’t it? Maybe a little?

This morning as I was waiting for my bagel to toast, I watched our pet fish swim around in his (or her?) little fish bowl. Fins propelling him gracefully in mid-water, I slowly moved my finger toward the glass. He quickly moved in reverse away from my finger. I counted to ten and did it again, remembering that fish only have a brief short-term memory span. I smiled, thinking how fun the fish was to look at anyway as it glided around its glass home. I could visit on occasion all day and he would still forget I was there in the end.

To keep track of everything I attempt to force my brain to handle, I have to keep a planner, an Outlook calendar, a to-do list app on my phone, a paper to-do list in my pocket, Post-It notes, scribbling on my hand, and my actual noggin. It usually manages to work, for the items of major consequence I consider priority.

You know – like for a grade or for my jobs.

But during the day when I’m living life outside and within the note-to-self’s, I find myself forgetting that God is there with me the entire time.

How would you feel, being present at someone’s side 24/7/365/eternity and being completely ignored by that person?

Thankfully, God forgives and continues to want to be with us. I mean, I am really thankful for that.

I actually took the time to remember to read my Bible in the morning, a new habit I’ve been trying to get the knack of. Here’s what I came across this morning:

“My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.” – Proverbs 7:1-3

As a chronic list-maker, these verses immediately grabbed my attention. I started to think what it would visually look like to bind God’s commands on my fingers, or write them on the tablet of my heart. Admittedly, that didn’t get done today. But I want to remember to do so tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.

Some tangible things so prescribed on my list to achieve today:

1. Check our studio’s equipment log to make sure no changes were made
2. Hand out Cardinals tickets
3. Read Systematic Theology for class tomorrow
4. Edit our student news broadcast
5. Create graphics for our student news broadcast that I needed to edit
6. Buy a particular book for a book report – still need to do this…
7. Read Chapter 2 of my General Psychology book
8. Get people to come to another Cardinals game
9. Make a Facebook event for church – still need to do that, too…
10. Set up a camera checkout

What have you forgotten to do today? Quick! Remember!