Do you think it’s possible? Are you able to sit back and think on the past and have peace? We should, but it’s not an easy thing to do. How many times have you started on a thought process like this…”I can’t believe she said that to me. Right to my face like that. Doesn’t she know any better. I should’ve walked away. I should have slammed the door on her. Oh, Lord help me to stop thinking about her like this. I’m sorry Lord, forgive me.” Am I the only one who has these conversations in my mind? Here you are going about your day gardening or dishes (it’s always dishes for me!) When you realize you have been at this thinking for a good 5 minutes. Here’s the kicker, this “thing” that you are going on about happened 10 or more years ago!
Retrospective, today’s Daily Prompt. Retrospective: something pertaining to the past.
Is the past always so daunting, filled with regret for everyone? I say no. Are there people out there that can do the dishes and go back 10 or 20 yrs. and think on something pleasant? Sure! And they are wonderful people to be around.
Reminisce. Like when old friends get together and talk about the good old times.
But for those who come from traumatic backgrounds and negative environments, like myself, reminiscing is a whole different ballpark. Families that sit together and talk about aunt so and so and how she did this or said that, many years ago at the picnic. Get where I’m going with this? Or families that look back when grandma died and how Uncle Jack took everything, and everyone else got slighted. It can create a cycle of judgemental, disruptive thinking, passing on to our children.
How then can we, who have come from this, go beyond it? I heard it said that we each have a pond of peace in our souls. We want to keep the surface of our ponds calm to the point it looks like glass. Each time someone hurts or offends you, you’re given a stone. You have two choices. You can give that stone to Jesus or you can throw it in your pond. What happens when you throw a stone into a pond? Ripples, that go to one side and back. It keeps going back and forth and it takes much time for that surface to calm to glass again. The preacher went on to say, everytime you think about that offense, you’re throwing another stone into your pond. And it’s as if they have hurt you all over again! Profound thought, isn’t it? How’s your peace pond today?
A New Life 
Amy, such an important topic. Letting go, grace and forgiveness are a topics I speak on. Love the image of the stone and the pond. May I use that example if I credit you and/or your pastor?
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You’re welcome to use it. I heard on and sermon from a pastor within our organization. You could just say I’ve heard said like this before…etc. may make it easier. But if you’d like you can use my name you can as someone who has mentioned it. Thanks Julie. It is a neat way to think about it isn’t it?
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Ok Amy, thank you dear. Yes I could mention you and you blog 🙂
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You’ve just described my extended family ( parents/sibling/etc). It took my mother’s passing in 2017 to finally close the debate over the Great Arithmetic Teacher’s Manual Scandal of 1965. The truth is my family is blessed/cursed with extremely long/accurate memories much like the ‘super autobiographical memory” most commonly associated with actress Marilu Henner. It’s a real thing – hyperthmesia – and it causes some of the interactions you’re talking about. I can go to sleep tonight and wake up in 1973 tomorrow morning and just as bereft over the dissolution of a long-ago relationship as I was all those 45 years ago.
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It’s something that I work on but no where near accomplishing…this peaceful thinking. Thanks for sharing. You should write about your experiences some. You write good! Sorry about your mom.
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Oh Amy….I love the visual of either throwing the stone in the pond or giving it to Jesus. That is so very powerful and so very true. I had never thought of my negative thoughts that way. Thank you so much for that! What a reminder.
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You’re welcome! Now if I could only get that process down! Lol
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I have exactly the same problem!!
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“Each time someone hurts or offends you, you’re given a stone. You have two choices. You can give that stone to Jesus or you can throw it in your pond.”
Amen! So profound! Very good thoughts here. Yes, I think those of us who came from difficult backgrounds or that have even gone through difficult lives in our adult years can identify with what you have written here. Thank you so much for this wonderful reminder to give our stones to Jesus and to not let them ripple. God bless you!
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Amy this is an amazing!!!
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