Short Term Memory Loss: Finding Nemo

"I suffer from short term memory loss.  It runs in my family...at least I think it does...hmm....where are they?"

            -Dori, Finding Nemo
 

Sometimes I wonder if I suffer from short term memory loss? 

Marlin, the orange clown fish, searches for his son, Nemo, who has been caught by scuba divers. The boat he saw speeding away is Marlin's only clue to finding Nemo. He runs into Dori, the blue fish, and tells her his conflict. She says she can help. She has seen the boat!

I too make commitments to the Marlins in my life.  Varying lengths of conversations occur before I finally understand what he needs me to do.  But at some point I say, "I have seen the boat.  I know how to find it.  Follow me!"

So my "Marlin" allows me to swim ahead and he follows me.  I said I would be able to help.  I said I could do it.  Immediately following the making of the commitment, I rush out with excitement. Nothing else is in my mind but to find that boat.  For one reason or another as time goes by, I forget that I even made a commitment.  I forget about the boat.  Maybe I couldn't find it right away like I thought I would. Maybe something more immediate distracted me.  I slow down, start to swim side to side, looking for ways to entertain myself because there is nothing better to do.  No goals.  No desires.  No boats.

What is the remedy for Short Term Memory Loss?