I have an absolutely fabulous memory. I can remember exactly what someone told me ten years ago in a conversation. I can certainly remember quite well what I was told last week. Well, unless I chose to forget it. I kid.  I will admit I don’t remember people’s names. And there is a perfectly reasonable, psychological reason for that.   I honestly don’t try very hard to remember names of people when I first meet them.  It is not information that I feel needs to take up valuable real estate space in my memory bank.  while I may not remember names at first, I do remember tidbits about people. I remember birthdays, pets, trips and children of people. Thus, with all my sharp memory capacities, I have frequently thought of myself like an elephant.

Supposedly, an elephant never forgets or so goes the popular culture view. Apparently, they have horrible eye sight.  I myself have been wearing glasses since the age of seven or thereabouts. I wear mostly contact lens nowadays. But I also have my cool pink cat-eye glasses.   But back to my memory. Elephants never forget a face.   How incredible is that? Love it. Elephants also have such great gravitas. They are statesmenlike but also goofy at times with their trunk tricks. They are awesome creatures that should be revered. And their memory is a big part of how they survive.  Its how I have survived, sort of speak.

You know which other animal has a fabulous memory? The crow!  Along with the great ability to recognize us as individuals, scientists have also noted that crows can hold a grudge and act upon it.  That’s fierce!  Do you remember the movie The Crow? It starred Brandon Lee as a character that comes back from the dead after being brutally murdered and his fiance being raped and killed. Guided by the crow, he sets out to avenge their murders by killing the perpetrators.  The crow was the eyes and memory. The crow held the grudge and helped him seek peace (through revenge).

Going back to elephants. They also apparently recognize and can keep track of the locations of as many as 30 companions at a time. That’s an awesome skillset. They could totally do their own tour guides.   As for crows.  The ability to recognize humans may an extension of their ability to recognize one another and in turn help to warn each other about potential predators.

Elephants and crows have great memories and facial recogntition abilities. It may be that they use these abilities for different outcomes and in different situations. I always thought of myself as an elephant. Now, I wonder whether I want to be a crow.   Brandon Lee was a most fabulous, fashionable and fierce crow. Gives me something to ponder as I start off the day.