“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
William Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun
Quote of the Week
1991
I remember when my mom drove home from work in tears from the pain, vomiting in the car. I don’t remember exactly what happened next. She may have gone to the emergency room — maybe our neighbor watched me that evening — or she may have toughed it out and went to the doctor the next day. My mom was tough like that.
I wasn’t privy to all the conversations. I knew she was sick. I didn’t have a name for it at first. I don’t remember the treatments, only the hospital. My best friend and I went to visit her after her surgery. We had drawn pictures for her. I think mine had a rainbow, and some hearts. She must have been gone from our house for a few days — I remember missing her.
The Weekend Listen – Series Finale
Happy Friday! I want to give my sincere thanks to everyone who completed the reader survey. Your feedback has been very valuable to me. (If you haven’t taken it yet, the survey is still open.)
One of the things I learned is that most of you don’t listen to podcasts and don’t plan to start listening to them any time soon. With that information in mind, I’ve decided to discontinue the Weekend Listen series. A few of you commented that you do appreciate the recommendations and enjoy hearing about new programs. If you’re in that camp, don’t despair — you can follow me on Twitter, and I’ll share some of my favorite episodes there. Additionally, because the things I listen to inform my thoughts, I’ll probably continue to reference podcasts in my posts, using interesting interviews and discussions as launch pads for longer, more substantive posts.
Understanding Our Beliefs and Forgiving Ourselves So We Can Move Forward Less Burdened
Maya Angelou gave a slightly different version of her famous quote in reference to her own past: “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” This sentiment is key to forgiving ourselves for our mistakes. We are all works in progress.
I used to tell myself that I had no regrets in life because every experience was a lesson. While that’s a nice thought in the abstract, there are of course things I wish I had done differently, words I’d love to take back, and decisions I would revisit if I could. When I look at my life today, I see how my present circumstances are largely the consequence of past choices and unquestioned beliefs. I like my life, and I’m generally happy, but I’m also aware of missed opportunities. While I hope I still have a number of years left on this earth, the possibilities for my life don’t seem quite as endless as they once did. I sometimes wonder what my life would look like if I had studied a different major, lived abroad, moved to a big city after college, pursued a different career path, chosen a different law school, not gotten married right after college, or made better financial decisions.
