Moving On - September 13, 2010 @ 10:45 a.m. (Forwarded from our old website)
They say (whoever they is) that you should never look back. I say, looking back helps me to continue forward because of the lessons learned. Lessons learned are always in the past. I am thankful for my past (although some memories are harder to swallow than others) because the past is why I am who I am today.
What I find most interesting about the past, is becoming aware that sometimes the things or feelings we had which seemed so unacceptable, suddenly seem so tiny and not worth our worry. In other words, the past was not as bad as what we thought.. Sometimes the challenges we face seem far worse at the moment, and eventually, as we look back on our particular situations, we will feel like that particular challenge was not near as bad as our momentary feeling about the challenge.
Sometimes though, I think it is important to remember and pull from our emotions to never allow certain things to happen again. When I think about September 11, 2001, my rememberance of that moment and how I felt is so important to remember, so that those who lost their lives will not be forgotten. When I think of visiting Dachau, Germany where I experienced first hand the feeling of such great loss that I became weak, I know that remembering such a terrible moment in history will always make me aware of this horrific destruction of humanity by radical forces. When I visited Amsterdam, with Bob, Jason and Shawn, and saw Anne Frank's home, my feeling of sadness was overwhelming, and I will not forget that feeling. The past can teach us so much!!
Yesterday, Bob and I watched a documentary on the Great Depression. We watched and realized how unbelievably blessed we have been in our lifetime. We had a better understanding about our parents and those who lived during the depression. We realized why money, jobs and hard work were so important to them. They carried emotions and understanding about the possibilities of losing everything. That is why keeping what they had, and living a frugal life came from their own experience, their past, their lives. Their own experiences made them who they were.
Today, I realize how blessed I am. Although, there have been times when my challenges have seemed overhwhelming, I have learned that "this too shall pass" (something my mom always said). Even the worst moment in my life, can get better if I just continue forward. Today, when I think of challenges, I remember Anne Frank and draw from her courage. She is my inspiration for remembering the past but continuing forward. She, somehow, never lost hope or faith, even when things seemed most hopeless. She continued forward, looking for the next possibility which would make all things better. I will continue in my life looking for the next possibilities. Having hope and faith, learning from our past, and continuing forward is all that any of us can do to keep our lives positive.
Steph Drake
