Forgetfulness is one of the greatest divine gifts. Ignorance can be cured with knowledge. Poverty, with work. Loss, with patience. But forgetfulness remains unconquered. We’ve tried—there are countless pills to aid memory—but still, forgetfulness holds its ground.

Freud gave an insightful explanation: you forget what you don’t truly want to remember. The unconscious mind helps by purging what pains you, so the self can stay balanced. He wasn’t speaking of forgetfulness caused by age or brain injury—but of the kind that shields the sane mind.