There are none on the face of this planet that are free from the annoyance of losing something. Forgetting where you put something or it getting moved to a separate location is at the very least, irritating. At the most, well, let's just say you end up like me; searching my room frantically for a solid hour and sobbing on the floor because I couldn't find a really special pocket knife when it was wedged in my book the entire time.

It also says a lot about me that I mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually identified with Dory when I watched Finding Dory a couple months ago. Like her, I get lost and forget things ALL THE TIME. I know my issues are smaller dilemmas. There are people out there, like Dory, diagnosed with memory loss or mental disorders that prevent them from keeping track of things, and life is probably a lot scarier for them than it is for me. The point is, forgetfulness can really cause a lot of problems and can affect our performance in our jobs or schools, and even our self-worth.

Since I can't speak for everyone, I'll address my own battle with my brain and hope you, my readers, can relate. My issue is distractions. I have a very flighty mind so even though I can focus, my focus switches to the next thing very quickly, like the way lamp posts zip by when you're watching them from a car window. And when you try and retrace your steps and remember where you put your keys, all the unnecessary information about the location of other items pop up instead. The worst thing, for me, is that I look for things based on probable places they could be. I picture the object in various sections and when I go to check it out, I'm disappointed by the unoccupied space I come across. When you lose things, a pit on your stomach forms and there's a kind of weighty despair that fills it. When the thing is important and you start imagining all sorts of ways you are utterly screwed as of this moment, well, that's a sort of anxiety I don't wish upon anyone.

And, like Dory, I get lost. Forests, hiking trails, suburban neighborhoods, big cities, and even highways; I have gotten lost in all of these places (don't even ask about how I ended up on the highway, it's a long story). When 1 mile trips turn into 5 mile trips and you don't know where your group is and you're pretty sure you saw this place before but there's a blue diamond on that tree so you must be closer to the exit and.... Yikes. Being ditzy is exhausting. It's terrifying to know that there is a chunk in your timeline that is missing; a period of your life that happened and you have no idea how.

Oh, and don't even get me started on the prospective part of forgetting. Nothing makes you feel more stupid than forgetting you have a class that you go to at the same time on the same days every single week. And then you get the "Hey, are you coming?" text and your heart just sinks.

But why are we so concerned about these kinds of screw ups? It happens to everyone and many things are replaceable. Well, I think there are two kinds of screw ups. You can either try your hardest and fail or you can miss the chance to try at all. Forgetting things is so painful because it's a memory, a thought, a feeling, or an object that is lost to us. And when the absence of that thing is our fault, then that just spurs on a vicious cycle of thoughts like "Why can't I get this right? Why am I so stupid? Why didn't I..."

And you know what? I don't think I've ever known of a single situation where someone got something done by wallowing in regret and self-pity. Alright, fine. You were stupid. You are an idiot beyond human comprehension. Now how are you gonna fix it?

You see, when I was tearing apart my room in tears because I might have lost my pocket-knife, and just thinking about the disappointment on his face when he finds out I lost the thing he gave me to keep me safe, I knew that I had to find it. Tears of frustration aren't gonna magically lead you to where it is, or the way out. God's not gonna be up there saying "hotter" and "colder." (Although one would hope that the guy who knows and sees all would help you out a bit.)

In order to solve your predicament, whether it be trying to find your way back home or finding an object of importance or remembering an anniversary, you have to try all avenues. Avoid getting stuck in mental ruts and see the problem from different angles. Do your own bit of analysis and get someone to help you. Even before you forget, have somebody there to remind you, and have someone else to remind them to remind you. Treat it like an investigation instead of just looking. Problem-solve! Be flexible and patient with yourself and maybe you'll get closer to your goal.

In the end, I found my knife. I was so overjoyed, I'm pretty sure I started kissing the darn thing. Unfortunately, I am still missing my keys that I need for work. But this is life. You solve one mystery and another one pops up. First and foremost, you must try your hardest to recover what you have lost. And if you cannot, then you must learn to let things go so the absence doesn't consume you. But don't lose hope. I believe in you and I truly hope you find what you're looking for.