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In Retrospect – Tranquil Thursday #20

Maggie

A black and white photo of a solitary boat on a lake

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“You can’t plow a straight line while looking over your shoulder.”
— My Grandfather

This wisdom came from my grandfather who was not keen on dwelling on the past. Being a farmer, he found each day demanding, and the idea of spending much (if any) time looking back must have seemed a frivolous waste of time.

Some of you may remember my grandfather was a teacher in the Philippines in the early 1920s. When asked, he did enjoy retelling those stories but I doubt he spent much time looking back with regret.

Meme with a quoteIf you’ve been with me for a while, you know I am fond of looking back on the good times, languishing in the memories, and recalling with fondness the people and experiences of an era gone by. That’s nostalgia. Occasionally when I drop into deeper depths outside of comforting boundaries, I do have some regrets but I try not to dwell in that space.

Looking back can be healthy or it can be a tenuous expedition we might not be fully equipped to undertake. I do get what my grandfather meant. He valued moving forward, aligning ourselves and not wallowing in regret. He believed in focusing on the tomorrow you can change and not the rigid past solidified in what has already transpired.

A few questions to consider:

  1. Do you enjoy nostalgic reading or writing?
  2. Do you have any regrets and if so, do you spend much time in reflection about them?
  3. We know not all memories have an air of nostalgia. Do you think your heart and your mind insulate you from the less pleasant memories?

 

 

 

11 thoughts on “In Retrospect – Tranquil Thursday #20”

  1. The perfect post for me, as my middle name should really be ‘Nostalgia’. I even have a post category on my blog named ‘Nostalgia and Ref;ections’.

    Looking back on the great music, the wonderful films, life experiences -good and bad- my schooldays, and remembering the relatives and friends I have lost as I got older.

    I am not remotely insulated from any unpleasant memories, especially those of my time as an EMT in London, when I had some exceptionally awful experiences that I still remember as if they happened yesterday.

    Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. Pete, I guess that is something we have in common — our love of nostalgia.

      As I have shared with you before, I cannot imagine being an EMT especially in a place as populated as London. I have great admiration for the work you did because I could never have done it myself.

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