I know there is little sense in revisiting and reflecting on our past too much. But did you ever wonder what might have been? I’ve probably revisited my past more than many because I was the child victim of a cult and I wrote a book about it: A Train Called Forgiveness.
Although I know it does me no good, I often feel like I was cheated from a different and possibly better life than I’ve had. My family moved me across the United States from Maine to Washington at the age of 10. I was made into a slave boy in a cult for six years. What if that had never happened? What if we’d stayed in Maine?
I’m sure there might be 100 different scenarios that could have come to pass. I know it doesn’t really matter. But I think it’s the curious writer’s mind to consider alternate histories to our own lives. Maybe I’d own a nice place here in Maine. Maybe I’d have gone to college and wound up in Boston or NYC. Maybe I’d be dead. Who knows?
Switch Your Focus
Okay, now that that’s out of the way let’s switch our focus from what might have been to what still could be. So what if you’ve had a few hard knocks? You’re not dead. I’ll admit that both my childhood and a portion of my adult years were pretty shitty. That was mostly due to other people’s actions and decisions.
Well, in November, I moved to the Nashville region. I might be over 60 years old now. There may be more obstacles and less options than there used to be, but instead of wondering what might have been, I’m going to consider what could be. Great idea, right? Not so fast.
I hate to be a party pooper, but focusing too much on your future is as useless as focusing too much on your past. It’s not that we shouldn’t set goals and work toward them. It’s hope that can be the problem. That’s right, hope.
Hope Is Misleading
Hope is not a bad thing, but it can also be deceptive and misleading. Too many people live on hope. They don’t do anything today, instead they just hope for a better tomorrow. Religion, salesmen, and political leaders all can manipulate hope to control reactions of both individuals and the masses.
So what’s the answer? Today.
Live for today. Don’t focus too much on what might have been or what might be.
Why this post now?
It’s About The Present
We’re wrapping up another year. I’ve long been an anti New Year’s resolutions‘ guy. Why? Because 90% of our resolutions don’t come to pass. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t reflect and set a few goals. I do that every year. In the past, I’ve made goals for writing books and poetry and songs. I used to aim to reach more readers. I’d set exercise and weight goals. This year I’m doing something a bit different.
I’ll continue to do the things I do. I’ll work at my new job as a college advisor. I’ll write songs. I’ll start making some musical connections in the Nashville region, not with a goal of something big, but just because I’m in the region and I write songs. I’ll work on some photography. I’ll do my best to exercise and eat right. But most of all, I’ll simply live for today, the present. Let what happens happen.
I encourage you to do the same. Stop dwelling on your past, your failures, your mistakes, your what-might-have-beens. Stop dreaming about things that are highly unlikely to happen. You probably won’t win the lottery and get that mansion and sports car. Jesus likely won’t be returning this year.
Instead, live for today. Do your best today to create a better tomorrow. Cherish what you’ve had and where you’ve been. Be happy with what you have now. What more can we do? – dse
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