well ~ i guess i'm hoping that my data base will jog my memory because i tend to think it's my memory that's the problem. if not, i've got to fess up. the worst was the day i went over to the general store and i didn't recognize guests staying with me RIGHT THEN. we all had a big laugh about it but ... oh my..
seashanty, I'm with you on this one. I think when guests remember us, it's because we've made a powerful impact on them.
And, no, of course we can't remember everyone.
But when they so clearly remember us, it's not only potentially insulting to dismiss them, it just undoes all the work that went into making them feel special in the first place.
And often, after a few minutes of talking with a guest that I don't remember at all, suddenly I will. The great conversation comes back, the names of all the family members restored, the hikes they enjoyed remembered.
Sometimes notes have that same effect of jogging the old noggin and it's why I, too, keep notes.
Amazingly enough, I remember most guests. But every now and then I've had the same thing happen to me that you're describing. And every time I worked hard to recover and regain that bond as quickly as I could.
To me the bond with the guest who remembers every detail of their stay is too precious to lose. For most of us, it's why we do what we do. And we just don't want guests to think that we don't value them. IMHO.