[Blondie]

Letting Go of the Past
Leaving the Past Behind

By Dr. Ronald D. Bissell

“I love my past. I love my present. I'm not ashamed of what I've had, and I'm not sad because I have it no longer.”
Colette, The Last of Cheri, 1926

A part of a life of freedom includes the letting go of the past and embracing what the future holds for us. I’m at a place in my life where shortly the past will be left behind and a new future will be found. In letting go of the past I cherish each memory of every event that I participated in. I cherish those persons I have touched and know that they were given a gift that is priceless – the gift of love.

“The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.”
George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

I feel so sad for those who cannot let go of the past. Many wallow in sorrow over events that are long forgotten. Their lives continue to be affected by past events and they become stuck in a place where their future becomes distorted. They miss the opportunities of today and find missed chances to give love to others. Chances to change another’s life occur at random moments and it is up to each of us to be alert to their presence and to not allow them to pass between the cracks and realize our mistake in not seeing them when it is too late.

“Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
Charles Dickens

I live in my present moment and am attuned to those opportunities to give love as they present themselves. I react to the chance to give someone’s life a lift or to help one who has misfortune. I leave the past in the past and use that experience to grow not to diminish my life.

“When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.”
Hugh White

I chose to look toward the future with an eye toward the possible. How can I be of service? How can I change my life to cause others to find who they are? When will I be able to personally affect more people’s lives so that they will grow and become all they can be? These are the questions I now find myself asking. How can I be a better person? In what way can I change my world? Who will be my mentors in life and when will I become open to their presence?

“Our imagination is the only limit to what we can hope to have in the future.”
Charles F. Kettering

It is our future that we should focus on but not at the expense of today. Each moment is a wonder and we should treat them as such. Our lives are a miracle and so are the contacts and events we participate in throughout our life. We should spend time seeing the miracles we create in order to know how our lives are contributing to the wonder of who we are.

“Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day's work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your widest ambition.”
Sir William Osler, to his students

Each chapter in our lives should be prefaced by the lessons from the past and those lessons should be incorporated into whatever we decide to do. Our lives contain so much wisdom – wisdom that was discovered and honed by the miracle called you. These should be the building blocks of your future life so that you can continue forth a greater soul than when you were born.

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

I’m reminded of my father-in-law who was a farmer his entire life. When he became unable to farm any longer he closed the one chapter on his life and began a new one. He sold his farm and moved to a new location to begin a life based upon the wisdom and principles of his past life. He was a true mentor to me and was an example of how to use the wisdom of the past to create a future of your dreams.

“Those who stare at the past have their backs turned to the future.”
Unknown

As I approach a definitive moment in my life I see it with the utmost wonder. I see possibilities that are endless, moments that will change lives, and opportunities that will create and within that creation I will find my path built upon the foundation of my past experiences.

“The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination.”
John Schaar, futurist

Make the choice to use the lessons of the past to create the future of your dreams. I’m a dreamer and my dreams are miracles – miracles that will take me to a new world that I will create from the lessons I learned through my past life experiences. I am neither fearful nor full of doubt for I know that whatever my future holds will be built upon sound principles of love, inner peace, and will be full of hugs. You see, hugs are the connections to our souls.

“As long as anyone believes that his ideal and purpose is outside him, that it is above the clouds, in the past or in the future, he will go outside himself and seek fulfillment where it cannot be found. He will look for solutions and answers at every point except where they can be found--in himself.”
Erich Frohm

Come with me into a future of choice. Together we can look toward a future filled with wonder and one in which fear is gone and love becomes the basis for life. This new world will be full of potential and full of charm. It will lead us onward toward the future of our choice and will result is a way of beauty that will change and improve everyone and everything we touch. Will you join me in this new journey?

“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as I live it is my privilege - my *privilege* to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got a hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

[cassiusclay]

blondie, you've been a little quiet the last couple of days...having writer's block?

[Blondie]

Nah Cassius, just been busy enjoying life

How have you been?