First, me. I know, I know, time to turn left Snagglepuss.
I have heard, on more than one occasion... "You live in the past."
Pretend I know a lot about psychology. I don't, but, after keggers, fraternity hell week/becoming an active, ,flirting like all college lads, lasses do... I minored in Psychology. That is fancy for, why I Googled "What is negative about living in the past?"
First article I ran across... I liked. It spoke to reflection and rumination.
The sentences I'm gonna paste 'read boring', but, are important in defining the difference:
Rumination is circular. You revisit the same events repeatedly, the emotional charge doesn’t decrease, and nothing gets resolved. Research on repetitive thought patterns shows that rumination doesn’t just fail to solve problems, it actively impairs the cognitive flexibility needed to solve them.
Reflection is purposeful: you revisit an experience, extract something useful, and move on.
I kinda like to think, replace "useful" with "things of beauty" in life.
Rumination is all about building a circular wall that you cannot see thru, over, or around.
Reflection, to me, is like when the Inca's built them pyramids. (Just seeing if yous paying attention, yes, Egyptians.) We build our life, base, work our way onward and up, and each and every time we climb up or down - there's pleasure in remembrance of placing each stone..
Loved ones, school, pets, Holidays, Summers, Winters, road trips as a child, a young adult, or, later. We scrapbook with our brain. No wall, but, a pyramid taking us higher where the view is awesome.
One blog reader here is presently on a trip now with lifelong buddies/travel companions, in Sedona, AZ. This morning, she posted a pic of the same amigos from 15 years ago, another group picture of them, this time wearing shirts "60 Rocks". Reflection, not rumination, another rock on the pyramid among the ones already there.
I love Christmas time always, but I can't wait every year to read the story of another reader who lived in a very remote, high elevation, happy happy home in Colorado.. how her hubby worked in Denver... "I'll be home for Christmas" was met with an extreme snowstorm, COLD, looong trek home.... he'd driven as far as he could from work until the pavement ended.. then, hopped on the snowmobile parked there for onward and upward home.. finally.. parking it as close as he could get, donning snowshoes for the ability to give that wunnerful knock on the door "Honey I'm home." Reflection.
Things all about childhood in our little town, surfer shirts in school (color dependent upon grade in school).. toothpicks and cinnamon oil.. the stench of the dog pound at City Park - yet, the wonderful reflection of years and years of sitting in the bleachers in awe, as a City, on Fourth of July. Ever rip someones 'fruilt loop' off? TP a buddies yard?
Your City?
Your buddies? Names, faces? Make it thru Kiddygarten to graduation with any of the same ones? What point, place in the World are you - and, does your brain revisit your childhood and bring smiles of your hometown? Sometimes doya come back? One here, the family moved to India to finish high school. Imagine those mems! Priceless.
College was such a fun, never-ever-anything-like-this-again-in-my-life, ie, enjoyed so, so, hell.. I 'purposely' took six years to do what most do in four! And STILL, frequently see buddies from when we lived together.
Work. You? Thoughts back? Ya prolly gotta admit a decent mix... weirdos, others ya loved - felt related to, managers ya cussed internally, others, you'd go the extra mile for due to respect for them.
Any, everything involved in raising a family. Birth, crawling, walking, training wheels on, off.. Big Chief tablets.. little league..neighbor kids..their buddies - all, lifelong reflection of wonder - boulders lifted on that pyramid of life to climb, see out, reflect back.
Even retirement. Said to be fleeting, oh baby oh baby oh baby, how enjoyable is it to basically do whatya want whenya want?
Springsteen's Glory Days speaks to old athletes ne'er letting go of, or taking an eye off of the trophy case (remunation.) I prefer to think of things like my buddy that organizes, raises funds, and builds wooden wheelchair ramps for those in need. Another friend, over twenty years, sat in the same chair every Saturday morning passing out food for those that needed it, badly. All, any, that participated, organized, charitable events. Kudos.
Conversely to what's labeled on the rear view mirror, objects within may also be further than they appear, and I'm all hell to the yeah, in remembering, reflecting, and that's ok. (My book anyways)
Sure........ enjoy, prosper, greet today with joy (ie, don't waller, ruminate, get stuck) BUT, every second that goes by is a memory of once was.
I find nuttin wrong with enjoying stuff like that.
Name all your dogs, cats.? Who lived next door? First car? Favorite person you ever sat by in class... favorite teacher? Why? What color was your bike, and, do you remember that first time mom letya ride it across town? Remember flipping your tassel? The interview for the best job ya ever had?
Scrapbook, stow pics in your brain, smile, laugh, enjoy, love...
Life atop a pyramid is all about today.......... and yesterday.
Love, Victurd