1 More Day...to Forget

My father suffered from dementia the last few years of his life. It was heartbreaking to watch this strong man become lost inside himself. It was important to me to get some things right with him before he could no longer remember.  

So one day when he was having a good day and in his right mind, I began pouring my heart out to him asking for forgiveness for things I said when I was younger - times I had lied to him or disrespected him. For example, when I told him I was spending the night at a friend's house when really I went to a party. Or when I told him I needed money for textbooks in college; I really needed it to pay off some parking ticket fees. I included every detail. I asked him to forgive me for not visiting as much as I should...on and on I went. After I had purged everything I could think of, my father simply responded that he didn't know what I was talking about. "Come on Dad - I need to get this straight! Think!" But still...nothing.

I begged him to listen more carefully this time as I repeated my story. But again...nothing.

I told him I understood and that it was just the illness taking over. I begged him to please try and remember. That is when he smiled that silly grin, grabbed my face and gave me a lesson I will never forget. He said, "Becky, I know what you are talking about. I remember. However, I have chosen to forget. It is not the dementia; it is a choice."

Many times I have thought about those words: "I have chosen to forget."  

What things do you need to choose to forget?