I recently listened to two audiobooks about the human brain. But can two books truly cover such a vast topic? While I understood the material as I was listening, I quickly forgot most of it afterward. These were serious books, not novels. Even with novels, it’s sometimes hard to recall the plot after a while. Perhaps I need to listen to them again.

Whenever we talk about the brain, memory inevitably comes up. I’ve been diving into podcasts on neurophysiology and psychology. Some concepts stick, many don’t, but the subject fascinates me.

Memory works differently for everyone. As a child, I learned multiplication tables and poems by heart, and I can still recall some of them today. But does everyone have a photographic memory? Likely not. Repetition plays a major role. One of my friends always emphasized the four Rs: Reading, Re-reading, Retention, and Reproduction. The second R, re-reading, is the tricky one—it varies from person to person. Some need to read once; others need multiple repetitions. In the end, most of us get there.

I once had a friend who read a 600-page book on public finance as if it were a novel. He aced the exam without needing to re-read. His memory journey through the four Rs was short; mine was much longer, especially when it came to subjects I didn’t like—history and geography, for example.

Memory is just one aspect of the brain, and it’s complex. I used to be able to recall phone numbers without needing a phone book. I found patterns in the numbers that made them easy to remember. But as my vision has deteriorated, recalling numbers has become harder.

Long-term memory still works well for me—I can recall events from age three—but short-term memory has become a struggle. Did I brush my teeth? Did I take my medicine? To cope, I’ve created routines. My wife sets my medicines in a small cup, and I know I’ve taken them if the cup is empty.

Writing these blogs has helped me improve my memory. Whenever an idea strikes, I jot it down immediately by sending myself an email. Relying solely on memory has proven risky.

Doctors’ visits are another challenge. I now send WhatsApp messages to my wife, listing symptoms or questions I want to discuss, and she reads them out to me when we meet the doctor.

I’ve heard that the brain can form new pathways when old ones weaken, but you need to give it work to do—thinking, analyzing, solving problems. A decade ago, I would solve crosswords, sudoku, and puzzles regularly. But now, my vision makes it difficult. Even so, I occasionally solve a crossword or play word games with my granddaughter.

Writing these blogs has rekindled my interest. Maybe I’ll explore audiobooks with logical or mathematical puzzles. Keeping the brain active is not just work; it’s relaxation too.

I feel a renewed sense of purpose.

Contd. 392. Bowls and Buckets