Fortune Cookie Friday: Don’t Forget Your Roots
This past weekend, my siblings and I celebrated our parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. After that long of a marriage, they accumulated many friends, and we filled a hall with them. It really was a wonderful time, sharing stories and looking back at the years they spent together.
My sister put together a fantastic slide show with old photos, many of which, I forgot existed.
Yeah, that’s me when I was about seven or eight years old. Purple was, and still is, my favorite color. We joked that I actually had shoes on in this picture. I spent most of my childhood sans shoes. They usually ended up in my neighbor’s sandbox.
So where am I going with all this reminiscing? It is to remind you not to forget your past. Your past is what makes you…well, you. All of your experiences and memories coalesce to make you into the person you are right now. When you share stories with family and friends, it reminds you of what happened in the past and how it influenced your life. It also gives you a chuckle when you hear about the good times.
The stories are grounded in traditions you share with family, or events that occur at specific ages. Some stories are of you just grounded—my mother had a hard time grounding me, because I always had my imaginary friends to keep me company.
The tales of your family’s vacations may bring back memories of long trips in the car or your first ride on a roller coaster. Stories from your parents might be what started you thinking about that favorite toy and how you wished you still had it. Photos of friends from school can give you that nudge to reach out and find out what they are up to.
Whatever your past was like, you should share your experiences. Call an old friend on the phone, sit with your significant other, or play with your kids; tell them of days gone by. It will give you peace and build stronger relationships that last well into the future.
