Is much of our suffering a result of our inability to remember?

[Stupid question time….]

While much of my “spiritual”/emotional efforts have revealed truths about my own mind, life, and what is truly important to me, it seems that my inability to remember results in much of my pain. And I don’t seem to be alone. Many of the closest people in my life have come to me recently because they were struggling with life and were finding happiness to be elusive. Yet, all of them at some point have expressed considerable insight into their discontent, but express frustration that they can’t seem to remember during their daily activities. “I know deep down that my real problem is my outlook. I have everything (and more) than I could ever wish for, yet I forget.”

In the past, I would have brushed off such comments as an example of when peoples’ beliefs about what their core values and desires are conflict with their actual values. In other words, if being present for experience and just enjoying the presence of your family and friends was really what brought you greatest happiness or contentment, then this is how you would live. Yet, you don’t live this way.

Now, I’m not so sure. I have experienced time just slip by and realize that I have forgotten to live in a way that is truly important to me.

Does this make sense? Are people capable of not remembering the most important things to them? Or does the the fact that they don’t remember indicate that it’s not as important to them as they believe?