We can’t go back to yesterday we were different people then. If we were to go back, we wouldn't know what we know now, we've grow emotionally and mentally through our experiences.
I wouldn’t be writing, and my life would never change because the people in it would still be the same. To go back we would all have to change. When times are difficult, we think we want to go back to simpler times, but somewhere in our unconscious, through experiences and maturity, we know we're better off where we are.
It is important we focus on the present and not spend so much time thinking about, or living in the past. It may be that we haven’t yet set out to achieve what we’re still aiming to achieve, but we must deal with the past if we are to live consciously in the present.
Outlooks will always look different when you look back. Sometimes we forget to take the rose-coloured spectacles off, particularly when we paint our lives and people more favourably and yet those weren't our experiences. The mind plays tricks.
We may believe and see the good in the past, and in people. Sometimes it’s as if those experiences didn’t happen to us, but to some prototype of ourselves. We can’t imagine those being our experiences, or maybe we just don't want to.
I doubt there are many of us who would want to go back. History is there to teach a lesson and we should then apply what we have learned in the present, to secure a better future.
Thanks, yes you say history is there to teach a lesson. The lesson's there, but we choose not to learn. I agree with you though, it's important we learn from our lessons. That way we don't make the same mistake twice. Many of us unfortunately go on to repeat our mistakes.
As you say, learning our lesson secures us with a better understanding of our future and therefore secures a better future.
The past was a throne in my side, if I go back I'll be stupid in the morning. Or maybe mad as hell because I'd have to learn everything over again.
I think the sad reality for some is that they would rather go back than face the music presently. Going back would be a form of escapism, but that's all it would be.
The grass is greener, but it never is. As you say Tim and have eloquently expressed, you understand your past enough to know it's not something you would want to experience again.
You have grown emotionally through your experiences, because you know it's a place you would never want to revisit. There is no need for you to go back.
This is a great reminder. I find myself often with the wondering of 'what if' in certain past situations, when having to deal with difficult people/or family members. Especially the negative ones.
I have to remind myself to live in the present and stop looking back.
Thanks Bonnie. Yes, the 'what ifs' are our biggest bug bear. We can if we let ourselves spend all of our time working on the what ifs, which makes us more disillusioned for the things we didn't do.
It's always difficult when it comes to family because we can if we let ourselves go over conversations gone by on the things we should have said, which is most unhelpful.
I tend to work on what I need to work on as and when it happens. It's always worked for me. If you can work on the things you need to work on, you'll never need to look back.
It's not always a good idea to look back. Looking back not only serves to make us more disillusioned, but makes us more disillusioned with what's gone and the things we cannot change.