The past is a tricky thing. It contains remnants of who were once were, the people who used to be in our life, and the places we once went to. It also contains bits and pieces of regrets, missed chances, broken relationships and sadness. On the other hand, there are also the sweet memories, exciting times, enjoyable conversations and spontaneous adventures that make the past something we hold onto. The past brings thoughts of embarrassment and bad decisions, but also memories of times we wish we could relive.
Oftentimes, there is a negative connotation that comes when talking about the past. We often hear people say that we should leave the past in the past, and I agree -- to an extent. Yes, we aren’t the same people we once were, but that doesn’t mean we should act like the past never happened. There seems to be a connection of fear to the past. We are afraid of being stuck in the past or repeating it. We are afraid of moving backward instead of forward. We are afraid of letting go. We try to avoid going back to who we were in the past.
Maybe we should look at the past in a different light.
I do believe that It’s important to be future-oriented and to not dwell in the past, but the past is something that we must confront at times; it isn’t something we can simply pretend never happened. We drive past a place we once spent a lot of time at and all the things that happened there begin to flood back into our mind. The song that comes on the radio reminds us of who we used to sing it loudly with. Something in the present moment reminds us of places we’ve been to, people we spent time with, movies we’ve seen, books we’ve read, friendships we’ve had and events we’ve attended. Running into the past is unavoidable. Although sometimes the past brings awkward encounters with old friends or opens a wound from a painful breakup, it is part of who we are now.
The past shouldn’t be something we try to ignore or run from. The past reminds us of who we were and shows us how much we have grown. The life-changing pieces of the past play a part in who we are today and who we will be 10 years from now. The past allows us to appreciate what we have now and who we want to continue growing to become. So instead of avoiding the past, we should look at it as a piece of who we are now. When I think about where I was a year ago, compared to where I am now, I can’t help but appreciate how much I have grown. Sure, sometimes I fall back into old habits and remember past regrets, but I know that everything that happened in the past has shaped me into who I am today. Each bad decision, unhealthy relationship, and embarrassing moment have made me me. The past has made each one of us into who were are today; so instead of running from it, recognize it as a tool that we can use to continue growing and learning.
