Sometimes I Surprise Myself

If you knew me, and chances are if you're reading this you do, then you'd know I'm sort of a mis-placer. Meaning, I tend to misplace and forget things. Why, just this morning, I pulled into the Target parking lot on a quick mission for Christmas lights, reached down to get my purse and came up with nothing but air. It was at home. On the floor. Where I dropped it to hunt for my cell phone which I had also misplaced.

For many, many months there was a sign on the door leading to the garage that read, "Carmen, do you have your wallet?" This after, not one but TWO instances in a relatively short period of time where I got to the cash register at Meijer with a VERY FULL shopping cart of groceries LATE AT NIGHT and had no wallet. Vexing, very vexing.

I also got "stuck" in the Hobby Lobby parking lot with all 3 kids when Audrey was just a tiny baby. I thought my keys were locked in my car. Wrong. After I called the locksmith who ($50 later) opened it for me, I discovered that my keys were NOT in the car. After enlisting the help of mall security for about a half hour retracing my steps the locksmith suggested I check my bags one more time. I dumped them out right there in the parking lot and what do you know, there they were. Vexing, very vexing.

So, at this point, you might be asking yourself, what can she keep track of? Thankfully, I haven't lost my kids...yet. I also have managed to keep track of my prescription sunglasses for about 4 years. Score! And my wedding ring, which frankly surprises me more than anything else. I am not one of those people who never take off their rings. I have to take mine off to sleep, shower, apply makeup, wash dishes, bathe kids, etc. I tend to set it down on a sink, on my dresser, by the computer. Sometimes I forget about it and when I go to look for it again, it's not where I thought it would be. Thankfully, my husband has learned this about me and usually helps by shoving it back against the counter so it won't get lost. A couple of times he's put it somewhere else, in hopes to "teach me a lesson." He waits to see how long I'll go till I miss it or panic so he can pull it out of its hiding spot and lecture me. So now I'm onto him and if it ever goes missing I keep my mouth shut. So far it's always turned up.

Let's see what else can I keep track of? Money? No. (Hand me cash and it will usually go into my jeans pocket, to be washed and dried with the rest of my laundry.) The remote? Don't be silly. Appointments? Occasionally. (I wanted a smart phone so badly to help me with this, but I'm always in such a hurry I usually forget to enter appointments until much later.) Birthdays? Nope. (Unless I carried you for 9 months and birthed you, plan on me forgetting your birthday.) My own age? Sadly, no. (At some point past age 30 I started needing a minute to think before I could tell you how old I was.) This list is beginning to depress me so I'll just recap. Here are the things I can keep track of: kids (so far so good), sunglasses, my wedding ring, and appointments (but only occasionally). I think instead of beating myself up for forgetting/misplacing things I'm just going to start celebrating the things I do keep track of. Because sometimes I surprise myself, and I've always liked surprises.

And then there's this guy who said

“Forgetfulness is a form of freedom.” 

― Kahlil Gibran

He gets me.