By the time I got down the hallway to the kitchen I had forgotten what I ran to fetch. It is not the first time. That is why I run. To maximize the chance I will remember. In this case, I am at risk for becoming distracted by the 20 photographs that adorn the walls.  

   I asked a friend how she spent her time." I misplace things," she laughed.   

   The primary reason for my forgetfulness is not age. It is the exponential growth in the volume of information older people have. Plus, I am endlessly distracted by ideas.

   Ideaphorics* are always absent-minded. Floods of ideas make everyday stuff unworthy of remembering. 

   A Buddhist monk once described the essence of Zen as "One thing at a time." Great wisdom that I consistently ignore.

   Society demands that leaders & caregivers multitask and make no mistakes! The same is true of leaders, artists & anyone else attempting to accomplish many things. One thing at a time? Impossible. 

   One practice helps: Meditation. Every time I engage this 20-minute practice it works!

   Today, I planned my twenty minutes & ran the hall to tell my wife. By then I had forgotten. 

-Erie Chapman

* Ideaphoria: "Capacity for creative thought or imagination." (Merriam-Webster)

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Photo: "The Hall" Erie Chapman, '23