House of Alcina

I think one of the most basic skills that many people never really learn is how to stop living in the past.

That does not mean pretending things never happened or acting like they did not affect you. Some experiences leave a mark, and some lessons are meant to stay with us. But there is a difference between learning from the past and continuing to live there.

I have never been someone who looks back and reminisces much. I do not keep up with exes, even though a few have tried to reconnect randomly throughout the years. I could care less what they’re doing.

When friendships have run their course or two people have simply outgrown one another, I am usually able to accept that and move on. I do not feel the need to keep revisiting what used to be.

That does not mean I never miss anyone. I deeply miss the family members I have lost too soon. But even with them, we try to honor their lives in the way we live now rather than dwelling only on what we lost. We talk about them, tell their stories, carry their traditions forward, and keep their memory alive in our present lives.

The past can teach us, shape us, and even make us grateful, but I do not believe it is where we are meant to stay.

You cannot fully live the life in front of you while constantly looking behind you.