Selective memory?!

Challenge: Be your own Therapist Contest! - write, a dialog, an appointment with your Therapist.

 

Me – I think that I’m loosing memory… I’, afraid I will forget everything, one day… not even remember that me is I and I is me and things like that… Imagine that I even forget that I’m the mother of my children and mix up my grandchildren with my brothers and sisters… I kind of feel it slowly coming…

 

I – How do you feel it coming?

 

Me – I don’t know… It is true that I have always been very selective in what I want or don’t want to remember… but know I kip “really” forgetting what I don’t feel like doing even if I HAVE to do it!

 

I– Let’s see… give me 20 words starting with A

 

Me – why A and not B

 

I– It can be B or C or D, just say 20 words starting with the same letter in 10 seconds

 

Me – You know I’m good with words! A, B up to Z! Numbers are my problem… I can’t remember a date straight, I don’t know a phone number by heart… although with a pencil or pen I can do all the problems with numbers… But numbers are difficult to memorize… and especially things I don’t feel like doing…

 

I– But we are now talking about words. Don’t divagate about numbers.

 

Me – Ok! So what letter do you want me to start with?

 

I – Any one. You pick up the one you like.

 

Me – But then it is too easy. A, for example, is the letter of my name and with that one I can make 100 words in minutes!  Although I never count the minutes I take to make words…

 

I – Stop! Just make 20 words beginning with S.

 

Me – Sandals, snake… oh! Now you are going to say I’m thinking about sex! I see what you are trying to do! But really I’m not thinking about sex right now, I’m worried about my memory or lack of it…

 

I – I’m not saying or thinking anything. I just want you to say 20 words starting with S in 10 seconds. Can’t you just do that?

 

Me – Of course I can! More then 20 words, as I don’t need a second to make up a word!

 

I – So, do it!

 

Me – Ok! Start counting… one, two, three… ups, sorry, just a question: can I repeat the 2 words I have said before?

 

I – No. And no more questions.

 

Me – Why not? I made two words in less then 1 second!

 

I- So let us start with another letter… Make 20 words starting with C.

 

Me – Care, caress, carefully… Sorry, can I say: care and carefully or do they stand for the same… because it is easy if you go trough the root of each word and make many other words…

 

I– No problem at all…

 

Me – I see! You want me to say them and at the end think I’m stupid or something like that!

 

I – Look, don’t think! Just say 20 words and let’s go over this exercise…

 

Me– How can you tell me not to think! Thinking is something I do all the time. If I don’t think I will not exist! Thinking is what makes me make the words…

 

I– Then think just about the words to say and nothing else!

 

Me – But words bring images and images bring memories and memories can be conscientious or unconscientiously… And then we have to stop and try to find out why this word came into our mind and not another one…

 

I– Well, can you do that AFTER telling me 20 words?

 

Me – I will try. Ok. Let me breathe in and out and relax and try not to think about anything but words… tell me another letter.

 

I – Say 20 words starting with the letter M.

 

Me – That is easy: Magic, mountain, morning, matter, maxim, Marvelous, Moon light, moisture, mixture, mental, mind, mention, meaning, mute, music, mentality, malleable, measure, maritime, martyr, mantra, musician, meander, manual, more, mold…

 

I– You can stop. You have already more than 20 words… Very good.

 

Me – And what do you think that means?

 

I– As you already know, that you are good with words!

 

Me – So? Does that mean that I’m not going to loose my memory as long as I can make 20 words in less then 10 seconds?

 

I– May be… But for now, you and me have other things to do, and can’t go on with the memory exercises eternally. Let’s go to our daily work…

 

Me – Brrr! You are always irritating me!

 

 

Reviews

[Salvatore Buttaci]

Congratulations for winning the therapist contest!

[JohnL]

This is different! It does however, highlight a real problem - particularly with the elderly. And it's sad. Just when you need your memories, they seem to leave you. But really, they don't - only the recent ones. The old ones are too firmly entrenched, so they say. You do notice though on reaching more senior climes that you fish a bit for faces and names - ugh! Names - now they are a problem - Oh well - - -, now what was I saying? Well it is a fine piece of writing, but a bit too close for comfort.
John