Sometimes the challenge in life is to find a radical way forward when you have come to a seeming dead end. But sometimes the best solution is to turn around and go back the way you came until you can find a street that will take you where you want to go. The trick to knowing which one is which might be to look for oncoming traffic.
When have you found your way by giving up and going back?
This question is so coincidental with some comments that are passing among a group of my friends right now. Old, young age photos are moving among us and it’s fun to see some of them as a teenager, BUT there is the danger of bringing up sad or unavoidable earlier memories. One of our members now deals with Parkinson’s Disease but was formerly a professional dancer. Ay, there lies the rub; too painful for her. For me, there are forgotten things in my piles of “being sorted through” items that bring a chuckle, a thought of someone forgotten or other kinds of associations which buoy me up and tell me that “Yes, that student really did succeed!” and doing this is enriching my life.
For me it brings immediately to mind a reading I used in our COA and Sr. Bridging service on Sunday….go back I must go back – none go there- none – that journey is done – the road leads on …. etc. and the thought that one can never enter the river in the same place twice.
There have been times I’ve wished I had not made a decision I made – wishing I could un-ring this or that bell – wishing I ‘knew then what I know now’ but alas going back just isn’t realistic in most of life’s situations.
GOing back the way one came…I guess it’s possible in some situations. Choose the wrong college – go home – regroup – try again elsewhere. That sort of thing can work – sort of. Particular job not working out – step out – regroup – find another better fit.
Wishing one could go back seems to me to be futile and the makings for regret. My good Mom used to say – “If wishes were horses then beggars would ride”. That has stuck with me through the years.
Rather, press on, learn, grow and find the next adventure…. figure out how to earn one’s own horse. AND grow the skills to look down the street before going there – assess with intention whether or not it’s a ‘good street’ as best one can falling short of a crystal ball. It’s all we can do being the humans that we are. If the street is full of potholes – of course find another street but sometimes retracing the street of potholes to get back to the starting place isn’t such a healthy idea either. OH the metaphors he he he. Happy Travels all.
Layne, very convincing that the way is forward, not backward. It is tempting as one ages to “remember when” or “ask why” but I am trying to forget those motivations and search for “what comes ahead”. Thanks.
I’ve had to do this when writing. Sometimes a poem/email/story/essay just doesn’t work and mere revisions aren’t enough to fix it. Then I need to start anew with a blank screen. I’ve also had to do this with other artistic endeavors.
I’ve practiced musical pieces only to find that I keep making the same mistakes. Sometimes the best way to fix them is to start over again, setting the metronome at an extremely slow tempo and work my way back up again.
When I make a mistake solving a Sudoku, I cannot simply retrace a few steps. No, I need to erase ALL of it and start over again. Sometimes I take the time to do this; other times I cross the whole thing out and try a different one.