We need the courage to learn from our past and not live in it. --Sharon Salzberg
One of the Promises from the Alcoholics Anonymous program is "We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it." This, to me, is another way of saying the Salzberg idea. We glean what we can from each experience, appreciate the value of it, but we don't need to drag it around forever. Certainly we remember past events, but they don't need to carry an emotional charge when we recollect them.
Two great teachers in my life have been my mother and older brother, Ken. Initial ventures into understanding the rather insidious effects they had on me generated lots of tears, anger, rage, and strong dislike. As I continued to learn about myself and their influence, I began to calm down and eventually see them as very broken people, for whom I came to feel much compassion. I don't dwell on the negatives any longer--I recognize the patterns within me and make different choices nowadays. Yes, there was a lot of courage involved in the process. And the reward has been great freedom.
Becoming baggage-free,
Leta
No comments:
Post a Comment