I Ask Forgiveness

I have two confessions to make: One, I am actually a very shy person. Pictures of me as a child show me hiding behind my mother’s skirts. As an adult, I learned that holding a reporter’s notebook in my hand emboldens me to speak to people — but without it, I hang back.

Two, I have a terrible — absolutely terrible — memory for names. And sometimes faces. This weakness only exacerbates my shyness. I hesitate to approach people who I know I should know because I can’t remember their names – and I know I should. As I continue to see them in my synagogue or in the community, I only feel worse that I can’t remember who they are and how I know them.

I’ve always said this fault would keep me out of politics. But it actually holds me back from a lot of socialization and probably friendships. But that’s my problem.

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I feel worse about hurting anyone’s feelings. It’s not that I don’t care. I really never developed a skill for remembering names. So, I want to apologize to – and ask forgiveness from – anyone who has either been hurt by my aloofness or just wondered why I haven’t acknowledged them. It’s just that I don’t know what to say! Or, who you are!