I must say, I am glad to be part of this week hivereachout content on the topic" THE EFFECT OF FORGETFULNESS"
We need to understand that Forgetfulness is one of those things we hardly notice until it costs us something. It’s easy to brush off small lapses forgetting where we placed our phone, missing an important date, or struggling to recall a name. But beyond these little inconveniences, forgetfulness has a way of shaping our lives in ways we don’t often realize. It is a silent force that influences our growth, our identity and even our future.
One of the biggest dangers of forgetfulness is that it makes us repeat the same mistakes. When we forget the lessons we’ve learned, we end up in cycles struggling with the same problems, making the same bad decisions, and wondering why life feels stagnant. It happens on a personal level, and it happens on a larger scale too. In Africa, for instance, history has shown how forgetfulness plays a role in the challenges we face today. We forget the struggles of those who came before us, the lessons hidden in our traditions, and even the mistakes of past leaders. Because we do not always hold onto history, we sometimes find ourselves trapped in the same issues—political instability, economic setbacks, and the slow progress of development.
But forgetfulness does not only affect our past; it also weakens our identity. Africa has always been a continent rich in culture, wisdom, and deep-rooted traditions. Our ancestors preserved knowledge through storytelling, proverbs, and oral history, ensuring that every generation understood where they came from. But today, that connection is fading. Many young Africans are more familiar with foreign cultures than their own. We forget our native languages, the values that once held our communities together, and the strength of our heritage. When a people forget their roots, they become easily swayed, easily manipulated, and easily lost.
Still, forgetfulness is not entirely a bad thing. There are things in life that deserve to be forgotten—painful experiences, failures that no longer serve us, and grudges that only weigh us down. But the key is knowing what to forget and what to remember. Some things should never be erased from our minds, no matter how much time passes.
We must remember our history so we don’t repeat it. We must remember our struggles so we can appreciate how far we’ve come. We must remember our identity so that no matter where life takes us, we never lose ourselves. At the same time, we must also forget the things that keep us from growing, fear, resentment, and the unnecessary burdens of the past.