Past Forward Podcast, Episode Seven - Andria Tieman
Yes, you read that title correctly, the past Forward Podcast is back with a vengeance and this time, it’s out for justice…or something like that.
I sat down last week and chatted with Andria Tieman, a gal who seems to have been shadowing me since high school. We know so many of the same people, went to the same college, hung out in the same areas and yet we only met a single time (or two). It’s really bizarre.
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This episode, more than any other, brought a dilemma that I have been wrangling with for quite some time to the fore. I seem to almost always have less of a memory of my relationships with people than they have of me. For a long time, I thought that it might just be bad selective memory on my part. I’ve always had a very good memory and even recall a few moments when I was 1 to 2 years old, yet there are large gaps in my memory after I reached my teenage years, college especially.
I recall specific moments in time with near-crystal clarity but so many moments that seemed to resonate with my friends at that time are gone entirely. It’s troubling, to say the least. Because I grew up without a lot of close friends, I value my friends immensely, so for me to simply forget big moments that we shared is just not okay. It makes me feel like I’m a cold, remorseless asshole and, even worse, that I may be a bad friend.
That’s a scary thought for almost anyone. Connecting with other people is one of the most important things we do as human beings. Friendship reminds us that we’re not alone in this world, that we have purpose. So, the idea that I could be at worst a heartless, remorseless asshole when other people are concern and at best be forgetful and scatterbrained is definitely bad. Especially considering that I try to be a caring, thoughtful person in my day-to-day life.
In the end, maybe I’m just overreacting to what is a totally normal part of life; forgetting. I’ve spent so many years being prideful of my memory when I may have just been deluding myself into thinking I had a good memory. Perhaps we’re all forgetful and everyone has these gaps in their memory, even on incidents that seemed to be important at the time. I don’t really know for sure, and if I did, I probably forgot.
In any case, listen to the podcast. I hope you enjoy it.
Excitement!
