The forgetting part comes easy. It requires no action, as it is passive and, at my age a piece of cake. This morning I almost forgot to get up, and had my good Jean Jacques not descended from the couch in the living room to lick my face, I might have stayed in bed for the remainder of the day. 

  The spitting image of the author

Towards the evening I would have risen to have my two glasses of wine, without which I can’t function. Two is what I tell my doctor. Reality is often a bit different. I am in the mood to confide and need forgiveness. It is that time of the year, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (5785). 

It is not that I long to be forgiven for my trespasses by a higher power. Nature does not know the difference between good and bad. Nature just takes care of procreation. Men interfere and then we end up with bad weather, and fields become overgrown with kudzu or other weeds.

During the thirties perhaps. Not anymore!

No, I ask my family, friends, and neighbors to forgive me. Particularly now, as earlier this week I offered criticism where it was asked for, but not wanted. The reaction was almost violent and involved unfriendly words and threatening gestures. I responded with some of my own. I am told by a fairly reliable witness, my loving wife, Lea, that I went overboard. She is disappointed in me, and that is the last thing I need. You see it is not the first time I have let her down. 

Fortunately, the details of most of the earlier instances slipped my mind, like thieves in the night. Nowadays thieves don’t only come at night. Recently, they also brazenly robbed me of my recollections in bright daylight. As a result, the number of bads I remember and need forgiveness for is now minimal. 

Thieves in the Night

Similarly, I hold very little against others as I have long ago forgotten most of the backstabbing I endured during my lifetime. 

One of the few evils I’m incapable of forgetting and unwilling to forgive is communal and has the fossil fuel pedlars as its global leaders. They just keep selling what we, the consumers, insist on using; coal, gas, gasoline, diesel, paraffin and you name it. Stuff that is proven to slowly but very surely destroy our environment. The environment we depend on for the survival of, not only the fittest among us, but all of us, and all remaining species populating the current world.. 

Please go electric, plug-in, or at least hybrid. Try an EV. You will love its torque, amazingly smooth ride, and powerful acceleration. I just recently got myself a plug-in. Now, I drive electric during all my short trips of up to 50 miles. 

Mr. Tesla at age 36, thinking of his next EV

Unfortunately, power is still mainly produced by the burning of fossil fuels. However, we are in motion to gradually change that to solar, wind, tidal, and nuclear. What about installing solar on your roof? It’s subsidized and affordable for most. In the end, it will save you money and reduce your footprint.

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Please also see my earlier post; https://ups-and-downs-of-old-age.com/understanding-is-loves-other-name/