LIVING IN THE PAST
Do you live in the past instead of the present? Have you sometimes asked yourself why the past seemed safe or unforgiving? Would you change your past if you could? If you could live your life over, would you change anything? How has your past, changed you? Think about each of these questions before you answer.
Many of us feel comfort when thinking back to our childhood. Being able to share both the good and pleasant times with someone we loved so dearly. Our life back then might have seemed rather simple as our loved ones took care of us and displayed and instilled all their teachings of caring, loving values which we someday in later years too would share with others who come into our life. The love and understanding we received with one another became our rock, a solid place for us to stand tall and become sure footed as we went through our childhood and adult years. Though there were times of confusion and awkward daily circumstances the good times were easier to remember and more pleasant to hold on to. Those times we called, loving memories of our past. We enjoyed those special times with our families and loved ones so without knowing it we tucked those memories inside our heads and hearts to again someday replay in our minds or teach or share with our children or families that we will start later in life. Those memories are treasures we tend to hold on to until our dying day.
Then there is the other side of your past that might have been very unpleasant. Maybe in your mind and heart you have tried to forget or hide the bad or uncontrollable circumstances that happened to you. Have you told yourself you don't ever want to remember certain things or deal with certain problems you felt in you’re earlier years because the pain is still real? If so, those unpleasant memories or bad times that hurt you so deeply back then are still haunting you now. (Not dealing with your past, your life won't get any better.) Sometimes those unpleasant memories haunt us throughout our childhood and into our adult years.
The pain and unpleasant past can and will affect your adult years or may cause problems when you marry or start your own family. However, by changing or altering the past to fit more pleasant thoughts, or hoping that the real bad things in our past will just go away forever and not be discovered by others who get to know us is wrong. Get help, asking for help is healthy.
Your life can't move forward, if you are always looking backwards. Something's in our life just can't be changed. Then there are other things we can change and make ourselves much happier and healthier. We must first learn to love ourselves. Accept yourself. Some people are unhappy with their lives, they can't move on until they fix the problems at hand. A well rounded person looks for the good and remembers that life will always have its ups and downs and it is up to us to discover which road we want to take.
Many times, things that happen to us in our life tend to make us feel they are without purpose and should never have been, but through those experiences we actually learn to grow and become a new person from within. Changing us and our lives forever.
It doesn't matter how good of a person you are, there will be personality conflicts. I have worked with families who just couldn't get along. Every family has their own unique problems so don't think you’re alone, when things don't go well for you. There are times some of the children in a family just don't fit in no matter what they say or do. Many times it is a personality clash. When there is more than one child, jealousy can play a big part. There are times that the more a child or a person tries to fit in the more they tend to be pushed out. Be yourself, whatever the out come. Do and say what is in your heart. Don't do what you think others want you to say or do. Finding a good friend you can talk to and trust is important. Many times the bullies of the world are found out, they will met their match someplace, sometime. I try to always remember, what goes around sooner or later will come back around, and it does! Take a few minutes ask yourself the questions below, be honest with yourself, do your answers surprise you?
1. Has living with my past life changed me? I would have to say, yes. (I truly try hard not to hurt people's feelings. I want to accepted people I met for who and what they are, not for what they should or shouldn't be, loving everyone.)
2. Would I want to live my life over again? I would have to say, no. (Living life over again would not be any better, for what we learn while living life makes us who we become later in life, and how we deal with what life gives us.)
3. Do I have lots of wonderful past memories? I would have to say, yes & no. (I have lots of wonderful memories that I hold dear to my heart but at the same time I have lots of sad memories too! However, I have always heard if we didn't have some bad along with the good we wouldn't appreciate all the good and treasure it like we should. We all know that with sunshine we must sometimes have rain. That's how we grow!)
4. Do I live in the past or the present of my life? I would have to say, both. (I try not to dwell on my past.
Life moves fast and how we live each day makes our tomorrow's what they will be. My memories both good and bad are always there if I choose to recall them. I know what I liked and what I didn't in my past so I try not to repeat or relive the things that I had no control of then or now. I accept my past.)
The Golden Years
I'm five foot two, eyes of blue and a beautiful age of 92.
My legs swell some and turn a little blue, my fingers and hands don't do what they use to do,
My mind isn't as sharp as it use to be, but I can still take care of myself and make the best homemade stew for three.
I sit sometimes and think back when, my kids were small and I was thin. The man of my dreams was kind, smart, good looking, and strong. We worked hard all of our lives trying to do what was right not wrong. Teaching our children respect, truthfulness and pride, we took each day in a gracious loving stride. We didn't have much money, but we always made ends meet, we never forgot, how to love one another or spend time with our kids, oh what a treat.
There were good times and so many memories too, I keep most of them in my mind and heart where they grew. I put them there for safe keeping when later I could recall, just what I wanted to share, the many memories of my life, with you all. If or when I get lonely and feel far apart, I can withdraw one, two, or three memories that is dear to my heart.
Money is tight; sometimes it was and is hard to make a dollar stretch. But with will power and good common sense I haven't found myself starving yet. My social security isn't much a month, so I try to stay healthy and not get sick for the price of my doctor and medicine is enough to make me have fits. I hear that the government is talking about another new medical plan, but the way it sounds to me, it should be thrown out right now and canned.
The days come and go, the months seem to fly, and I notice the years are going faster than the blinking of my eyes. I find myself looking forward to the little things in life as I sit and wait for the postman to bring me a card, or a letter from my family, friends, or maybe just a phone call from someone checking in to see if I'm all right. There are times when the house seems a bit quite so I turn the radio on; I get a tear or two as I hear a good old fashion song. Time has a way of slipping by sometimes faster than we like that is why I try to enjoy each minute of my life.
The golden years I now have reached much faster than I thought, all those years that made up my life were golden years of love. My wisdom, patience, and loving memories are the things I treasure most, for those little things is what made my days a pleasure and me the happy host. Look forward to the golden years, Thank God; you had a chance to live them. Share your life with those around you, for the love you show and give will be the memories that your life will be measured in forever.
(Dedicated to all the senior’s, who have had a chance to live and share their Golden Years with us.)
Written by Mary D. Johnson
Keeping Life Simple
1. Take a Sunday afternoon nap.
2. Visit the public library it’s free, cool, and packed with knowledge.
3. Walk with a friend. It's a perfect way to do two things at once. Exercise and visit.
4. Indulge yourself with an hour of doing nothing but listening to your favorite music.
5. Give an unexpected gift. It can be satisfying to both the giver and the recipient.
6. Send flowers to a good friend for no reason. Surprises are fun and so nice.
7. Bird watching is a great hobby. Buy a book learn about your feathered friends.
8. Dance. Most people enjoy moving their feet or bodies to the beat of good music.
9. Write a letter or note to a friend or family member. A good way to communicate.
10. Bake a big batch of homemade cookies. The taste is better than store bought.
11. Keep a scrapbook for your child from their birth to the present.
12. Watch the sun come up and set. A great light show, inspiring. It’s worth you time.
Learn to love, live, share and enjoy life together.
Moments with Mary.
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