Being reminded vs remembering

Sometimes people say to me, "Remember when..." and I do remember.  Sometimes these same people need to remind me and then the memory comes.  I've come to the conclusion that we remember the most important information and we need to be reminded of the rest.  I remember the birth of my children and their first real wound.  I'm reminded of things they may have said or done when I was away at work.  I remember my wife's birthday but need a reminder for anyone outside my immediate family.  You see, repetitive events need no reminder but solitary events can also enter into the "no reminder" zone.  I hate taking tests.  I have always hated taking tests.  Why?  Because I don't remember unless I have a reminder.  What are your remembered versus reminded memories?  Do you have a problem being able to unlock a memory deep in your mind?  Some of my memories are crystal clear like they happened a few minutes ago.  While other memories are fuzzy.  It's here that I need the reminder so that focus can be obtained.  Often the memories of certain events become embellished over time.  That fish you caught wasn't 3 feet long...it was 8 inches at best.  Sometimes we are truly without a memory for whatever reason.  This is frustrating for me.  If I once remembered the event, where did the details go?  Perhaps the details weren't important anymore.  I have had many many experiences with creating a new password because the old one was just beyond my mental reach.  I've not remembered to look in my pockets before washing my clothes only to find my favorite pen now clean...and leaked over the rest of my laundry.  Still the essentials of our memory seem to function for now. When caught "in the moment" it seems those memories become readily available and pop into our minds.  It's that way with what we do with Scripture as well.  The Bible tells us that we should have the Word written on our heart (the most important organ in the Bible).  Part of my difficulty is that I've also allowed other "stuff" to be written on my heart.  Years of secular music, secular classes, secular people feeding my mind cause conflict for room in my heart.  Having Jesus as my Savior should be the primary focus and memory in my heart so that the Word that is a light unto my path will be unfiltered.  The verses that tell of the victory of Jesus over evil would be there on the day I'm feeling attacked.  Girding myself with the Gospel of peace will be essential in my dealings with others.  What this really all comes down to is who do we want the world see?  Do we want them to have to be reminded we are a Christian?  Do we want them to remember we are a Christian.  The latter is my choice.  Remembering from whom my strength comes is a nice road map to living victoriously.  Today I remember my roots and my present and am reminded that it was Christ who gave me life.