There are moments when it just seems easier to detach our past from our present and future lives. At some point the cycle seems broken and the idea of learning something positive from that past for the sake of a brighter future seems impossible. I have always heard people advising each other to let go of the past or rather to leave the past in the past (where it ideally belongs).
When people told me to focus on the present and the future, the past pain, regret and tears were no exception. It did make a lot of sense and I was convinced I had no reason to ever look back and I believed that nothing of substance could ever come out of reflecting upon my past.
The truth is, we all have yesterdays we cannot run away from whether we like it or not. The reason behind it may not be the same and no one should be judged for choosing to learn from their past pain. It took me a while to entertain or even consider the idea of looking back, but I realized I did not need anyone’s approval to do so. As long as I believed that it was the right move, I was more than justified in doing so.
Each time someone asks me how I managed my pain, how my pain started, why I decided to act upon it, or how I knew when to act, I keep realizing that even though we are talking of a past experience, its impact on both myself and others is priceless. Because they watched me grow stronger even in my feeble state, no one will ever intentionally repeat the same mistakes I made.
Knowing how I ended up in that mess, I vowed never to tread that same path again. I fight to make each day better than the last and every second worth living. I fight to never make yesterday’s mistakes again. Most importantly, I have made it my mission to make sure that as far as my influence can reach, no one will make the same mistakes again. May the life cycle never be broken.
