Elephant or Goldfish?

There has been a lot of talk around my house lately about memory after watching the show: “Ted Lasso.” The character, Ted Lasso, portrayed by comedian, and SNL alumni, Jason Sudeikis, is a witty guy cranking out “Lasso-isms” left and right. It’s a story about a college-level American football coach who is unexpectedly recruited to coach an English Premier League team despite having no experience in soccer. 

The one Lasso quote that shines brightly from the show that lives on, at least in our home, is that a goldfish is the happiest animal in the world. Why? Because it only has a 10 second memory. Ted Lasso encouraged one of his players to “be a goldfish” and from there, there the rest of the team eventually.

So, I’m trying to take that quote to heart. Any snide or cruel remark toward me or a loved one; I’m a goldfish. Those soccer mania fans that scream at a soccer referee doing their best on the field, I’m a goldfish. Even a tiny slight in words or actions by someone, perhaps even a loved one, I must be a goldfish. 

On the other hand, there are times when it’s fantastic to keep the memory of an elephant. Keeping my children’s laughter in my brain; elephant. Remembering the voices of my parents (now passed away); elephant. A beautiful sunrise or sunset, a loving kiss by my husband, a good book that can’t be put down because it is that good; elephant. I want to keep those wonderful memories close to the surface to visit them every now and again.

As we move through our lives, I think it’s wise to see-saw back and forth in the memory category depending on the day or moment. I can choose to be an elephant and hold that memory close and for a long time; or I can choose to be a goldfish and “let it go” after 10 seconds, never bringing it up again.

Photo design: Annette Mason

Source
Unsplash
Elephant Keyur Nandaniya
Goldfish Kyaw Tun 

BSoleille!

Terri