Here’s yet another piece in Who Said That! Try to guess or remember first who said that, and if you still don’t know, you’ll see who it was at the very end of the article.

Remember to scroll down  s l o w l y  so you won’t reveal the name beforehand.

“HAPPINESS IS NOTHING MORE BUT GOOD HEALTH AND A BAD MEMORY”

Anyone can attest to the fact that good health promotes happiness.  The older you get, the less you take good health for granted. You know that it takes - apart from good genes - some work and  dedication to attain and maintain a healthy physical and mental state. You also know that when you have it, you don’t necessarily remember to appreciate it. And when it’s gone, even for a while, you are once again reminded that you must never take it for granted. Good health can be a very fluctuating thing.

But what about bad memory? We value memory. Throughout life we are supposed to be so effective - in school, at workplace - and to memorize so many things in order to stay abreast or ahead. Of course, these days we can also just google if we don’t know or remember something. Nevertheless, good memory does enhance our work and social skills.

With bad memory we might not be that good at remembering stuff. But we can also choose what to remember, have a selective memory. And used wisely, we can filter away many unpleasant things best forgotten. Not everything needs to be remembered. Sure, those memories do continue to exist in the dark recesses of our minds, but as long as we don’t let them bother us, and refuse to keep past grievances alive or hold grudges, it goes a long way to attain a better health.

These two together - good health and a bad memory - do make for a powerful combination. And who was it again that said that? Albert Schweitzer, the Swiss doctor who lived a big part of his life in Africa. He received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of “Reverence for Life”.