Today I’m happy to welcome Sulekha Rawat to share her midlife woes 😉 here. Sulekha is one of the happiest and peaceful souls I know. Her ability to strike up friendships and her charm both online and offline make her one of the nicest bloggers I’ve had the pleasure to meet in person. Thanks for being here today, Sulekha. ♥
I write…My life is my Muse and my Muse is my life . I am a daughter,sister,wife,mother, friend and writer, all wrapped up into a complicated package called ME. I’m interested in Creative Writing, Poetry,Blogging,Social Media, Branding, Marketing, and Web Content. I contribute articles and poems to online magazines, Socialpotpourri, and also write on my blog – www.sulekharawat.com. You can connect with my on Twitter and Facebook.
Midlife Means Losing My Memory?
Midlife is just another phase of life…or is it?
We live because we remember…memories are precious, treasure them. My blog’s tagline explains my point so eloquently. As we grow older, we start taking life a bit easy; laugh longer, smile faster, speak our minds, don’t worry so much about pleasing people than being true to our instincts and feelings. We don’t try to fit in bit instead we come out of our own shadow and stand tall, though a bit fatigued due to a multitude of reasons, physical and hormonal.
I am a proud fifty year old young lady and all my facilities are in tip top condition, for my age. Sharing some instances here, that had me questioning my sanity and rushing to the doctors for a remedy. The threat of losing one’s memories makes them break out in a cold sweat, I was sweating too, haven’t stopped since. What could be the reason for my memory loss, forgetfulness, initial stages of Alzheimer’s, or some other new and undiscovered illness?
I was watching a movie on television, the actor looked very familiar but for the love of cinema, I couldn’t remember his name. I had seen a lot of his movies and knew his name but for some reason, couldn’t recall it, however much I tried. My mind was vacant- a white slate of forgetfulness.
The best part is that I rattled off the names of his movies- Bruce Almighty, The Cable Guy, Liar Liar, The Mask, Ace Ventura, but no luck with his name. Finally I Googled him and found out the elusive name; Jim Carrey. This incident rattled me and left me very worried about my state of mind.
One fine day I logged on to Hotmail but realized to my dismay that I had forgotten the password, I log in at least 20 times a day, and I forgot!!! I tried everything but could not remember for the whole day, next morning it just came to me, I punched it in, and viola, I was in.
I am in-charge of keeping all the important bills and papers safely at home, but it has become a standing joke now that once I keep something safe, I can never find it. Once our electric bill couldn’t be found and we turned the house upside down as it was the last day before they levied a fine. Found it in an envelope, tucked in nice and safe in the dresser, just minutes before the bill payment window closed for the day.
I forget to wake up my kids or wake them up before time. I forget to take my pills or take them twice sometimes. I switch on the geyser and leave it on the whole day, and I am afraid someday I might switch on the gas and forget to turn it off.
It becomes awkward when my memory plays tricks on me, landing me in sticky situations. Once I met someone at a meeting and when I bumped into him after a couple of months, I was blank, I didn’t recognize him. He insisted we had talked, tried jogging my failing memory to no avail.
Yesterday I handed over the car keys to my driver at 9 A M and by 10.30 A M I was seething when I called him up to ask him why he hadn’t come to work. He was stunned and informed me he had reported at work at 9 A M sharp. I was mortified, yet again. He had the audacity to tell me to go for a consult with a doctor for my failing memory.
All I say is : ‘Enjoy midlife, almost half your life is over’ (the better half)
Greetings Sulekha and Corinne! 🙂 I’m almost ten years ahead of you Sulekha and just wanted you to know that you’re not alone. It can drive you crazy, can’t it? There’s something just stuck right there in the back of your mind or on the tip of your tongue and it JUST WON’T come out! Welcome to the joys of menopause and getting older. 😉 The upside is what you mentioned at the beginning…we come into our own, more confident, more outspoken, taking life easier, etc. etc. Great post! I also wrote about ageing, but more from the physical side.
Debbie recently posted..GRAVITY! AN ODE TO AGEING
Thanks Debbie, there are days when I feel like pulling my hair out in frustration 🙂 Menopause is a nightmare. I like the upside of menopause and it helps me cope with the changes. Will definitely check out your blog, sounds very interesting.
A big thanks to Corinne for posting my article on her blog.
Dear Sulekha,
At this rate, I will need a doctor very soon 😉 You seem to have described what a lot of people go through these days. I think memory loss comes to everyone at various stages, of course. As long as we aren’t harming ourselves or others as a consequence of it, you should be fine 🙂 I think you do very well indeed. You are such an active woman and a blogger of your calibre is so rare to come across. Loved this piece and especially that quote! Thank you for hosting her, Corinne.
Shailaja V recently posted..The Greatest Loss- #Part 3- Conclusion
Dear Shailaja, thank you so much for your lovely words. Birds of a feather flock together, hence we all are in Write Tribe 🙂 The Moving Quill writes beautifully too…
Sulekha, I am going to be afraid. Very very afraid. 🙂 So far, no lapses of reason or memory, but I am sure it could strike when I least expect it! Right now I feel as though I have miles to go before I sleep and I cleverly write everything down. Hmph!
I am enjoying “midlife”.
Great guest, Corinne!
Vidya Sury recently posted..Raising Teens, Lessons Learned
Viday, you are one lucky lady and an intelligent one too 🙂 I must start writing things down too, thanks for the inspiration.
not in my midlife but losing memory is sort of everyday thing. I happen to get these minute amnesia in the ‘Ghajini style’ and if I am carring an umbrella there 102% chances that I’ll forget it somewhere!!!
Tina, been there, done that 🙂 thanks for the comment.
You post has scared me, Sulekha! 😉 Going by the looks of it, I may have to consult a doc, real soon 😀 Even I keep important bills, documents at very safe places and then dont remember these safe places when we need these important things.
Enjoyed reading this post and that quote is awesome! 🙂
Good to see you here at Corinne’s space 🙂
Shilpa Garg recently posted..Strangers on a Train
Shilpa,
I didn’t mean to scare anyone but just wanted to share my experiences 🙂 Safe places are hard to remember, thanks for your lovely comment.
Lovely Sulekha! For the first few things you mentioned, I’m also facing the same, but for the rest…oh no …! I’ve to be cautious!
Well … no regrets…’coz handling a lot of data in our brains, since long, is not a joke…haha 🙂
Thank you and Corinne for sharing this ….
Sheela recently posted..Home is where your heart is…
Sheela, learn from us veterans and make plans to avoid making the same mistakes 🙂 thanks.
Lovely post Sulekha!! I’m already forgetful and absent minded!! Never mind me at 50!! Gosh!! 😀
I write stuff down mostly so that I remember and keep reminders as well. Its helped quite a bit 🙂
Thanks for the tips, Pixie. I have started doing the same now, hope it helps 🙂
An enjoyable read, Sulekha!
In two years I will be hitting that mid-century number. And I am happy I read this post now, so I have at least two years to prepare myself 😉 I hope my ‘5 almonds a day’ routine will be of some use when I need it the most 🙂 But jokes apart, I can see how stressful such a situation can feel for someone, especially those who begin to get too much worked up over this.
The memory loss or other health issues will come one day or the other. But as the wise say, the key is to remember to take it all in the right attitude.
Thanks Corinne for having Sulekha as your guest blogger for the day!
Beloo, the 5 almond trick works but I am too lazy to do it 🙂 or I forget 😉 Thanks for visiting and writing such a lovely comment.
How does it matter what you are forgetting or what you are not if your pen still has that style! You had me in splits Mitr!
Mitr, thank you for saying such kind words. Smiles help cover miles 🙂
OMG…. Even though you conveyed the news with enough humour, I’m already dreading the day I might end up losing the most vital memories of life 😀
Jokes apart, this is a reminder post. To take things as they come. Not to worry about such lapses of memory. This happens to me even now 😀 The safe-keeping of documents, car keys, keys of almirah, Mobile phones… the case with me too 🙂
There are days when I get to hear a humming and kill my brains to remember which song that was from…. 🙂
One tip I use is to memorise Phone numbers. Sort of keeps me active 🙂
You’re as lovely as you are, Sulekha 🙂 Thanks Corinne, for hosting her here 🙂
Sreeja Praveen recently posted..Dolls…..
Sreeja, I am so relieved to read all the comments here and to know that so many of us are sailing in the same boat 🙂 Songs stuck in the head are equally bad, thanks for your sweet comment.
I love this post! 🙂 Thank God I’m not the only one! I sometimes introduce myself to someone and it takes me a minute to remember my own name. I was sure that I was getting alzheimers and would blank out on the world soon. So glad to read this. Had a good laugh too! 🙂
Swati, good to see you here 🙂 Please listen to the advice and soak 5 almonds daily for a stronger memory. Thanks for loving my post.
I think you ladies are rocking your life, taking each day as it comes, staying as cool as cucumbers! I only hope by the time I reach middle age I will have your same attitude and gusto to life 🙂
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Bhavya, trust me you will be super-cool, you are 🙂 thanks a ton for making my day.
Oh my. Now you’re making me worried. I topped my mental capacity about a year ago and have been losing track of details and names ever since. We attributed it to being overwhelmed, which it might be, but maybe I’m just getting old. In my 30’s. I could happen, right?
Crystal Collier recently posted..Romance Eats Sand
Crystal, you have a long way to go 🙂 It won’t happen if you keep your mind sharp by solving puzzles and sudoku. Prevention is better than cure, isn’t it? thanks.
Honestly, I have experienced memory failures like that most of my life. That name that’s on the tip of your tongue… I think sometimes it’s just that we’re thinking too hard. I’ve found that with passwords. You enter it automatically every day, but they day you stop to think about it, you can’t recall it! I worked on a help desk for 10 years and I can’t tell you how many times I’d ask someone what their password is and they’d tell me they couldn’t remember it without typing it…and at that point, they’d still have trouble recalling it because I was standing there!
That said, a little deterioration is normal. It’s going to happen to everyone as they age. Wait ’til we’re 90! We’ll be lucky to remember our own names!
Stephanie Faris recently posted..Why My Hometown is the Best
Stephanie, I shudder to think of turning 90, when I am so bad now 🙂 The name on the tip of the tongue is so frustrating, I can’t sleep if I don’t find out the song or name of the movie I am trying to remember and can’t 🙂 Thanks for your visit and comment.
Thank you, Corinne for hosting me on your blog and writing such a beautiful introduction for me. I had a great time reading all the comments here and replying to them. Good to know that I am not alone in this scary journey, thank you all.
I can relate Sulekha :). I always say that my daily exercise regimen is having a lot of stairs in my home…and forgetting things frequently. Although I suppose part of it could be a function of age (you are younger than I am), I think too that with the world as it is, we are inundated daily with far too much information to remember, and in the distillation process we lose some of the important stuff. I write things down a lot as well and carry a pad with me at all times.
Embrace the good memories you retain…and carry pad and pencil 😉
Be well,
Ron
Ron, so good to see your comment here 🙂 I agree with you about being bombarded with too much information. Carrying a pad and pencil is a great idea, will follow suit 🙂 thanks for visiting and commenting…happy remembering things 🙂
I came here for a look because I can identify! I’m sort of in Stephanie’s boat, in that memory’s never been a strength, not even in school. I ping, I pong, I forget what I want to remember and remember the most ridiculous things… I seem to remember the things that impact my psyche and forget the clothes in the dryer… And so it goes. It’s always good to know 1) there’s a normal amount of memory loss to expect and therefore 2) we’re not alone!
Thanks for this post, I enjoyed it so much : )