“I forgot.”

We’ve all uttered these shameful words…and no one intentionally sets out to forget agendas or obligations.  The ongoing effort to NOT forget is the main reason why sticky notes, mnemonics, and calendars exist.  And today the calendar reminds us that it is Memorial Day.

But the consequences of forgetfulness have varying degrees of significance.  If you forget the names of the kids that your daughter just met at the playground, it’s ok…they’ve forgotten yours, too.  If you forget to send that email that no one is going to read anyway, you might actually have saved yourself some time.  And if you forget to add sugar to the zucchini bread you just baked, it’ll be gross, but no one is going to die and some “health-conscious” coworker may even pretend like she actually prefers this listless loaf!

But if you forget to call your patients back when you know they are concerned about their lab results, you may be sowing seeds of distrust in their minds about either your competence, your compassion, or both.

And if you forget to honor the commitment you made to love your spouse in sickness and in health, your marriage may disintegrate into a cesspool of shattered dreams.  And the collateral shrapnel from your broken promises may foster a philosophy of disposable relationships in your children.

And if we fail to remember the lessons learned from Pearl Harbor…from 9-11…and from the ultimate sacrifices made by members of our armed forces despite the numerous admonitions to “Never Forget,” we are treading on ever-more perilous ground.  And if we fail to appropriately convey these truths to subsequent generations, a proverbial minefield of moral relativism will eventually detonate in a catastrophic crescendo of depravity.

Remember to Not Forget this Memorial Day.

Deuteronomy 8:18-19