Archive · 12 Oct 2026
At 70, Forgetfulness Brings Humor, Perspective and Lasting Memories
Aditi Roy Ghatak writes about sometimes forgetting names and other small things as she gets older.
Once, she even had trouble remembering her own name during a phone call.
Her phone helps her remember people’s contact details.
At the same time, she can still recall many stories from her childhood.
She remembers family, friends, a dog, and funny or exciting moments.
She compares her memory with a fictional character who remembers almost everything.
She says writing and phones can help people remember things outside their minds.
She treats ordinary slips with humor, but says memory problems that need medical attention should be taken seriously.
She finds that even when some details fade, she still remembers what matters to her.
Aditi Roy Ghatak describes everyday lapses, including forgetting her own name during a phone call and relying on her iPhone for contacts.
She contrasts short-term memory slips at 70 with vivid memories of childhood, family, friends and pets.
She says she uses written notes for speeches and reflects on how technology and writing can serve as external memory.
The essay compares her experience with Ireneo Funes, a character in Jorge Luis Borges’s fiction whose memory is described as nearly perfect.
Roy Ghatak says she does not romanticize memory loss and recognizes that some changes may need medical attention.
- Who
- Aditi Roy Ghatak, a veteran journalist, reflects on her experiences with forgetfulness.
- What
- She describes everyday memory lapses, vivid childhood recollections and her perspective on aging and memory.
- When
- At age 70; the article does not give a publication date.
- Where
- The essay recalls her childhood in Dhanbad, India.
- Why
- She is writing about forgetfulness and how she finds humor and perspective in ordinary memory slips.
- Author
- Aditi Roy Ghatak
- Age
- 70
- Childhood setting
- Dhanbad, India
- Memory aid mentioned
- Her iPhone stores contact names and numbers.
- Writing aid
- She writes her speeches down.
- Fictional comparison
- Ireneo Funes, from Jorge Luis Borges’s collection Ficciones, is described as having an infallible memory.