Terminal Lacunar Amnesia

Lacunar amnesia is the loss of memory about one specific event.

I’m convinced that people who seem to be unusually selfish (including most teenagers) must be suffering from Terminal Lacunar Amnesia. I say this because I can’t fathom the idea that people are that selfishly detached.

I’ve seen and been a part of so many situations where it appears as though the person asking for a service or permission seemingly has no recollection of events or services granted to them in the past. I say this not only as a person whose been asked, but also as the person behaving stubbornly selfish. I’m sure my Mom and Dad could give you plenty of examples of my Terminal Lacunar Amnesia. Just to give them a chuckle…yes, I remember the Guns N’ Roses t-shirt.

Let me explain a little more. We all have those friends that seem to always ask for something. The difference between that and what I’m griping about is found in the reaction to the answer. I don’t mind having friends who are needy. (let’s be honest, I am a needy friend and I’d just like to have some real friends) It’s when that friend or person is told no and how they react that shows whom they are deep down inside. A person with TLA (Terminal Lacunar Amnesia – I added the “terminal” part by the way) is told no he or she will not remember any circumstance from the past in which they were told yes. It’s amazing actually. The complete inability to recognize how they were served; some would just call it a selfish immaturity. Again, it really has to be something more doesn’t it?

Well, perhaps not. Maybe it’s just something we all have to work through; both as those suffering from the so-called disease and those in an authority role over them. I think we all have our moments of regression. When we feel like we need or deserve a raise, we suddenly forget anything our employer has done to help us. When an outcome or circumstance doesn’t go in the manner in which we’d hoped, we convince ourselves that we are the constant victims. When God seems to ignore or reject our request or situation, we are quick to forget the extraordinary lengths to which He went to make a relationship with us exist in the first place.

We are a selfish people. We usually only recognize it when we see it in others. Truth be told…we’re just a bunch of mirrors. We’re all suffering. We’re all selfish. We all need to be told no every once in a while and we all need to get a little perspective.