Grace for the Past
I was an avid diary writer from about the 5th grade through much of high school. I have pages and pages of journals and books under my bed of recorded life from my younger years. Now, none of it is overly important, and I definitely don’t think it will end up in a museum some day, but yet it has still been very useful in offering me insight into my past in some interesting ways over the years.
It used to be almost painful to read some of my past entries. For example, in my twenties, I would read stuff that I did in jr. high and high school and cringe out of embarrassment, almost like it was happening to me all over again. How I wanted a time machine to be able to go back and tell that girl, “No, don’t do that!” I wanted to save myself both the struggles that were self-created, as well as the ones that others brought into my life as well.
But after some more reflection, another idea struck me. This time, it was much kinder to my past self and actually helpful to my current self as well. It was simply the thought that back then, the same as now, I was doing the best I could with the information that I had at the time. I wasn’t purposely trying to make bad choices - it was actually what I thought would give me the best results.
Of course, we all know what they say about hindsight, and it is so true. It makes things clearer, but it’s not fair to use the knowledge we have now to be unkind to the person we were then. Instead, we should use it to be amazed at how much we grow over the years, and be thankful that most of us don’t stay stuck in the same thinking patterns year after year, but have the ability to grow and change and that shapes us into individuals who are able to make better and wiser decisions all of the time. Instead of thinking our past is just full of cringe-worthy mistakes, we can be grateful that our future can always get better from here.
This can also help us be kinder to others who are in different stages of life as well. Sometimes it is all too easy for us to see their circumstances based on our knowledge without considering that they may not have the life experience or wisdom to guide them yet. And while we certainly can journey alongside them, it should be with grace and gentleness that we relate to them and not with condescension or harsh judgment. This is a wonderful reminder for parents, as well as anyone who has younger or less experienced people who they regularly connect with. When you come to realize mistakes are part of everyone's lives, you are more ready to offer grace, empathy, and understanding. Grace is needed when it comes to ourselves, and when we do that first, it will be much more likely to spread to others as well.
Challenges/Points:
Uncomfortable memories from the past don't have to make us ashamed. We did the best we could with the knowledge we had at the time.
If we can first offer ourselves grace in dealing with past mistakes, we will soon find we are more easily able to offer it to others in their own decisions as well.
Our past memories can help us be thankful that our thoughts are able to grow and change, and we are able to gain wisdom and insight, giving us hope for a bright future.
Questions:
Does thinking about certain memories from your past make you uncomfortable, why or why not?
What could you gain by offering yourself grace for past mistakes and extending that to others in your life as well?
When was the last time you sought out advice from someone who has had more life experience than you? How could learning from them impact your own decisions?
To talk more about this or something else on your mind text the number 494949 to chat with our team or visit RemedyLIVE.com/chat anytime, day or night.
Did someone send you this post, and you want to subscribe to our free self care guide? Text CARE to 494949 to receive daily posts.
