As we start Elul, this is a GREAT time to start growing in appreciable ways.
People often excuse themselves for not doing something they had obligated themselves to do or not being somewhere they were supposed to be by saying that they "forgot". That is a poor excuse.
We only forget things that aren't important to us. We don't forget to get dressed before leaving the house after a shower. We don't forget to turn on the ignition when we want to start the car. We don't forget to go to our wedding or our son's bris. We only forget things that don't matter enough to us. Sometimes we subconsciously WANT to forget [b/c we don't want to do it or be there] - so we do.
So the sin wasn't the forgetting but that something that should have been important to us wasn't - often b/c we are just too wrapped up in ourselves.
Planning a meeting with someone - whether virtually or in person - and "forgetting" to show up betrays a lack of respect for the other person. So instead of saying "Oh, I am sorry for forgetting" as if it was some cognitive malfunction, say "Oh, I am so sorry for disrespecting you by having you set aside time for me and then leaving you hanging like that. I was selfish and you deserve better".
"No more excuses" is a great slogan for growth.
