The Listing

Is it a sign of getting old..?

It all started for me, with needing to keep a list of the posts that I wanted to write. That has been a really effective way for me to remember the ideas and things that I want to write about. I don't really mind that too much, but am unsure if that's a thing I should be proud of or should be nervous about.

I have expanded the utility of my list making, and have added a few other things to the mix. I've now got lists for the things that I need to buy, things I need to research and other daily activities in life.

I don't know if this is a good thing, but I also think back to when I was a kid and remember that people would write things down all the time and have little notebooks and lists. People go to the grocery store with lists, and I think sadly that it's just a sign of getting older as the people I would see are what I would have considered older, but are just about my age give or take a few years.. damn.

The utility of lists is definitely important and I think part of my aversion to it was pride but that has to go by the wayside when you understand that it's just a fact of life that we need them. It makes us more effective as a person, adult, parent and spouse when we are able to write things down and keep them organized in whatever way works for us. It took me a while to realize that, but I have given into it and actually leaned into it as much as I can.

Part of it has definitely been pride, thinking that I could rely on my memory being really good as it was historically. It still is really good for things that I find important, but unfortunately there is only so much room for things that are important that some things get pushed out and that's a challenge. If everything is important, then nothing ends up being important because it can't all fight for the same space.

If you had asked my wife, she would say that I forget things all the time, but it goes back to the above point. If it wasn't deemed important by my subconscious then it would get remembered for a short time, but forgotten later. I think it's inherent differences between men and women from an evolutionary perspective. I can vividly remember how we got to a place we've only been to once, because I'm the one driving and I am the one who needs to keep the family going. Then there are other things like where did I put the specific tool that fixes the broken device in the corner, because it's my responsibility to fix that and not worry about if we have three eggs boiled or four.

I am still able to remember those things that I deem important, but I have acquiesced the need to get assistance for other elements of life like putting all of the right things into my sons backpack in the morning to get him ready for school. I failed at that task and it was very difficult for me because he relied on me, and I failed him. I now have check lists hung on the door for the different things that we need each morning mainly because it helps keep me accountable, but also everyone else is on board and I'm not the one who forgets something. There may still be an issue or two that arises from this, hopefully not but at least I have the backup mentally and visually to help me with the daily tasks that we need to do, especially when we are in a rush.

What about you, do you rely on lists more and more as you get older? Has it been hard to admit it? Let me know in the comments!