“Nobody gets to live life backward.
Look ahead that’s where your future lies.
Ann Landers (pen name of Columnist Ruth Crowley) 1907-1955
When I was growing up, my Grandmother (who seemed so very ancient then, even though she died in her 60s) always walked down the stairs backwards. This seemed in no way unusual to us. We had only ever seen her descending in this way. And even now, I have no idea of why she did so. Was she scared to look ahead and maybe lose her footing?
Over the past few weeks I have found myself looking back, sometimes more than looking forward. There are many things in my life to look back on with pleasure, with gratitude and yes, also with longing. So am I scared to look ahead in case I lose my footing?
Looking back doesn’t really solve any problems for any of us. We only have today. And we have all heard the quote – “Yesterday is the past; tomorrow is the future; today is the present. So use it as a gift.” I don’t know when or where I first heard that but it is so very true. And I wonder who penned it originally.
And we know that today really is the first day of the rest of your life. Here in New Zealand the clocks go forward an hour tomorrow, so summer is officially here. Hooray!
“Come to the edge, he said.
They said: We are afraid.
Come to the edge, he said.
They came.
He pushed them and they flew. “
Guillaume Apollinaire (French Poet)
I choose how I will spend the rest of my life 