Where do you begin when writing a blog? How do you start? This journey of self-discovery and understanding who I am, where I come from, and where I’m going are some eternal questions that we’ve asked or at least I’ve asked myself on many occasions. The things that I write here are the things that I have discovered along the way on my so-called path. As I write these words here, it’s not to convince anybody that these are the things that you will encounter yourself or that these are the set experiences that you need to have to be on the path that I am on but really, it’s a reflection of the man I am because of those experiences and where I’ve come from.
Looking back at your life experiences is all about perspective. When I look back now it is from the perspective of me as an adult. I guess for me, when I look back, I am trying to see as I did when I was a young man. I like to think that I am like Willy Wonka trying to find that child that will take over the factory of memories I have inside. When we travel down the road of looking back, we literally must stop, turn, and look behind us. When we do this, we will see ourselves much differently than when we started. I think that is a good thing. Change is a part of the process no matter how ugly it can get at times. We also experience the change that brings about beauty in our lives as well. I have found that these life experiences are great teachers for us. It’s in the experience that we learn for ourselves how we live.
Over the years I have seen, as I have looked back, a young man who was fortunate to have a mom and a dad who cared. They both showed it in different ways, but I knew they loved me and wanted the very best for me. We didn’t have much in terms of things, but we had the things that we needed to have a happy life. I am grateful for good parents. I feel that as a young man, I always was taught to respect my elders and to appreciate the very little we had. This approach to this daily thinking was very helpful to me and now even more important is that I have kids. The influence of good parents has helped me to identify the great lessons that come from the experiences of others. We are influenced by those around us and become similar, maybe because of osmosis. We absorb the things that are most impactful and special to us. We also absorb the things that we see that we might not want to become and hopefully can filter those lessons to just lessons and not reality.
Lessons for me come in waves. Sometimes they come because I have not seen the way that I should have or when I wasn’t looking. They come when I have been where maybe I wasn’t supposed to be or stayed in a place for too long. They also come when I hear clearly, like when things are peaceful, and I can focus my thoughts. Change for me also comes in the inspired thoughtful comments made by others. I was reading about a man who had a change of heart. He was a man who didn’t make all the best decisions in his life but because of the prayers of his parents he was changed, kind of dramatically but nonetheless he was changed. He had a desire to help his people, so he shared how his heart changed and began to tell his people about the change that took place. After he shared this with his people he asked a question of them, here is what he asked, “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” Can Ye feel so now, that is something I ask myself at times when I look back and see if I have really changed. Have I remained true to the things that I cherish and value? At times, I would say that I have been a little soft in my approach to effort. But today, as I write this, I feel that the many times I’ve been around the sun have allowed me to see for myself that I am good. I have done the things that were necessary for my growth, and I am happy with the journey so far. Could I have done things differently, could I have taken more risks, could I have experienced more…maybe. Looking back can be a hard thing to do but very helpful. You learn so much if you allow yourself to and can change repeatedly.
When we feel like our perspective is changing take the time to look back and see what you have become. When we fall or fail, rise or accomplish, we discover for ourselves a new person. This new person is better than the person that we were so long ago. If you still feel the same as you were, you’re not. The person that you and I are today is the result largely because of the lives that have touched ours. Be the change and the person that you want to be will manifest. I know that over the years reflection and remembrance are wonderful ways to remember the roses in our lives.