DEALING WITH THE PAST

“Oh yes, the past can hurt you. But you can either run from it, or learn from it.”

Sometime ago, long after it was originally released by the Disney Studios in 1994, I had the opportunity to view the outstandingly successful movie entitled “The Lion King.” It was an attempt to tell a story on life by using animal cartoon figures. The actual story and the conclusions arrived at, were soundly philosophical, and worthy of serious study. The above quotation was spoken by Rafiki, the Mandrill who was the Lion King’s associate and served as the main narrator in the show. It struck me as one of the most powerful comments on past experiences ever recorded. In a few simple words he confirmed that memories of past events are indeed double edged swords. They can serve to help you open a whole new world, or to hurt you by holding you back.

Most authorities generally encourage people to ignore or forget the past and to avoid worrying too much about the future. They insist that one should spend all one’s time living life in the present. But this statement is incomplete and not quite accurate. Although there is sound truth in the recommendations, and indeed, anyone who chooses to ignore them and allow their lives to be defined by the choices they make from past experience alone, are doomed to disappointment and failure. Despite this however, it is of utmost importance to recognize that there will always be valuable lessons to be learnt from the past and those who choose to ask the right questions and to search out the right answers about the past, are the ones who will derive the fullest rewards from living their lives in the present.

The individual, who is able to by-pass emotional responses and the disappointments associated with past experiences, will find that there is much to be learnt from events of the past and that much of this information can be applied to improve life in the present. One can begin by identifying the strengths worth developing and the weaknesses that must be corrected or eliminated. Other meaningful relationships can be explored and encouraged, and those that weaken and render one vulnerable, avoided. Attitudes that undermine the best intentions must be identified and corrected so that they do not condemn your future actions. These and many more important traits can only be identified and lessons can only be learnt, from returning to the fires of past experiences.

But there must be a limit to how long and how involved one   becomes in the pursuit of past experiences. The most important thing to bear in mind is that the past must not be allowed to hold any control over current life decisions at anytime. That risk is always present, for like any bad habit acquired, there is always the possibility of falling back. Once we recognize these facts, we can better take control of our lives, and become the true owners of our future. Anthony Robbins, the highly successful, celebrated American businessman, author and motivational speaker, firmly and categorically reinforced this attitude when he publicly stated:

“I’ve come to believe that all my past failures and frustrations were actually laying the foundation for the understanding that has created the new level of living

I now enjoy.”