"LEARN from the past but don't LIVE in the past." - Mike Spillman
Sometimes I love to just sit and listen to older people talk about the past. Now, yes, I DO understand that "older people" is a relative term but I think you know what I mean, right? What is "older", you ask? "Older" is simply someone that is OLDER THAN ME!
I remember once, while in college, I traveled with a group of college students to a town in Ohio where we were going to spend a week helping "older people" in different ways. When I found out that visiting a nursing home for the week was available, I jumped on the opportunity!
I am so thankful that my parents made sure that me and my siblings spent time visiting nursing homes, even if we didn't know any of the people there. I believe it gave me the opportunity - early on - to realize what value these people still had for those that would take the time to sit down and listen.
Anyway, on this particular trip to Ohio, there was one lady that, honestly, could not remember what you had said to her five minutes before but, when I could get her to talk about growing up she could talk to me for hours - in detail - about events that she experienced along the way. I loved getting to spend time with her and listen to her talk about her past.
But, I also discovered somewhere along the way in my life that there are those that, although they may also remember events in their past with vivid detail, they choose NOT to talk about their past. Why? Because the memories are not pleasant and they would just as soon FORGET those memories.
There are many that, indeed, have LEARNED from past events but have NO DESIRE whatsoever to even THINK about re-living their past. But, on the other hand, there are also many others that still seem to focus all of their attention on the past and long for those days.
Oh, believe me, there are times that I wish I could go back in time and re-live and re-do some things in my past...especially as a parent. I miss the times that I had with my three boys and, like I said, there are many things I wish I could go back and re-do. But, obviously, I cannot.
There are many that have had great successes in their past perhaps in the business world in whatever profession that they were in or maybe even in athletic achievements. They continue to think about and share stories about their "glory days" to anyone and everyone that will listen.
But, there is a difference between the little old lady in the nursing home in Ohio and these people. The little old lady was simply "re-counting" information about those events in her past while this other group of people are still trying to "re-live" them.
Good OR bad memories all bring us to the same place with this. YES, be sure that you LEARN from the past but, friend, don't try to LIVE in the past.
If you went through some horrible things that have left bad memories then I am sure that you HAVE learned some valuable lessons from those experiences. But friend, do all that you can not to dwell on re-living those bad memories. Yes, get the help that you may need to help you get past that in and for your life, but please do all that you can to stop living in and through your past.
And, at the same time, if your memories are good and bring about a sense of pride, that's o.k., too BUT do not continue to try to live in the past or try to RE-LIVE those events. They are in the past, they are gone, never to be re-claimed or re-lived. Enjoy them but understand that you still have so much to offer those around you besides those memories.
Remember: That period ahead of us that we often call "tomorrow" does not actually exist and neither does that past time period that we call "yesterday". Yesterday no longer exists. That being true (and it is!), all we have is right now and the time that we call TODAY.
What memories will you make for yourself today? What memories will your words and actions make for those around you today?
Think about that and always be sure to...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
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