The 11TH Commandment― Thou Shall Not Forget!

The Author

Forgetfulness is a two-edged sword. It can be a tool we can use to get over our pain. On the other hand, however, it can also be a tool that can cause us terrible pain. A memory that is short is one that will wallow in needless pain day after day. Thou shall not forget!

When we forgive and forget, for instance, we are likely to fall into a similar trap that caused us so much woe. When we forgive and keep in mind what others did to us, however, it always makes us cautious when we see the red flags. Forgive… but don’t forget.

Times without number, we have to remind ourselves not to forget. We all should make that conscious effort never to forget our past no matter how busy we are. Forgetfulness has fatal consequences. When we forget how we got to where we are today, we’ll be fond of ingratitude.

When I observe the many happenings in life today, all I see is a people who have intentionally developed short memory. We soon forget the 11^th commandment that forbids us to forget. We soon destroy the structures that we stood on to get to where we are today.

Forgetfulness should belong to the dead, not the living. When a couple forgets the vows they made at the altar on their wedding day, they soon open the gates of their marriage for everybody and anything to enter. When they forget the good times they shared together when bad times come, they soon give up on each other.

After trust, the next value every married couple should hold on dearly to is a long memory. They should never forget the sacrifices they had made for each other in times past. They should never forget all the great promises they made to each other. Cheating only becomes an option out when forgetfulness walks in. Thou shall never forget!

The only threat to a beautiful relationship is forgetfulness. No matter what life hurls at us, we should never forget how far we have come with our partners. Never ever forget. It is a commandment!

In every sphere of life, we should never forget. In our businesses, we shouldn’t forget. In every aspect of society, there should be no forgetfulness. The future can only be beautiful when we forget not the past. Our nation, for instance, can only be better if we could revisit the values of the past.

Times don’t change. It is our memory that does. We can only be great as our predecessors if we do not forget the same values that made them great. Forgetfulness is fatal. Its consequences are bitter.

There once lived an Egyptian Pharaoh who forgot all that Joseph had done to save the nation and that entire generation from perilous hunger. He mistreated the Israelites… and brought untold hardship to his people. When we forget the hands that held us when were feeble, we treat those hands with disdain.

The key to the future is the past. When we forget those who lent us their shoulders to stand on when no one wanted to, we limit our future. Once in a while, we need to have a census of all those in our past who made it possible for us to be where we are today. We should never forget them!

The character that brought us to where we are today should never be forgotten. The traditions that we committed to to bring us this far, should never be taken for granted. The past should always be a benchmark for the future. The same traditions that took you to the top are the same traditions that will keep you there. Never forget them!

It is amazing how we often want to change our circle of friends, for instance, when all begins to seem well. Do not forget that great friends are made when we are at the bottom of life. At the top, we can barely make any. The same friends that watched your back when you had nothing are those who may genuinely do same when you have something.

The same spouse that stuck with you in your hard times will do even more in your good times. Do not forget them. The same company that you kept when the tides of life were against you is what you should keep when the tides blow in your favor. Never forget your past when your today becomes all blossomy!

Having a long memory requires a conscious effort. Life may get us so busy. Life may throw so many things at us every moment. However, we should never forget how we got where we are today. We should never forget the integrity we dutifully stuck to to get here.

We should never forget the promises we made to God. Never should we forget the promises we made to man. Forgetfulness is a disease only we have the cure to. We should each day make an effort to never disregard who and what brought us where we are presently. A heart that remembers becomes a grateful one. A heart that that never forgets always gets more. Thou shall never forget!

Never forget your vows. Never forget the prayers. Never forget those who gave you opportunities when you didn’t even qualify. Never forget the things you swore never to compromise at. Our greatness can only last as long as our memory.

Thou shall never forget the 11^th commandment that forbids forgetfulness!

The writer is a playwright and Chief Scribe of Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com), an Accra-based writing company which provides all writing services.