Irreversible Knowledge

     Irreversible Knowledge.  I don’t remember the first time I became familiar with the term, but it has haunted me ever since. We all have it.  You know what it is.  Those little pieces of information that come along and change the way you look at life; or handle situations; or address the people around you, etc.  I say it haunts me because even if ignoring the information has little or no impact on me day-to-day, I can’t.  Hence...irreversible!  Forget about pretending I didn’t hear it or read it.  I’ll only come back later and adjust for it.

    It plays directly on my most predominant weakness which also happens to be a strength for me.  I list it on my resume as “attention to detail”.  As a person, it makes me better and as an employee it makes my work better.  It also causes my coworkers to work harder.  We laugh about how ‘anal’ I can be.  On a good day they’ll tell me they’re better because of it.  On a bad day, they’ll grumble about the extra steps they now take.  In the end I appreciate the tolerance they show me.

     As a mother it tells my children I think they’re important.  As a wife, it helps when I’m looking for the keys my husband misplaced or the paper he can’t find that he ‘had a week and a half ago’.  But it also becomes the source of irritation when he asks for an example of a negative encounter I don’t want us to keep repeating.  I don’t forget much, at least I didn’t use to forget much but I’m older now too.  I explain I’m not holding grudges just analyzing our dynamics.   I like to think we’ve grown stronger as a couple because of it.   He can laugh about it now and I can laugh with him.

   The extra work I take on due to this phenomenon can be exhausting.  But, when it comes right down to it, I also sleep better at night because at the end of the day, I’m pretty sure I’ve done everything possible.