The Stories We Could Tell

Talkin' to myself again
wonderin' if this traveling is good   
Is they're something else a doin'
We'd be doin' if we could

All the stories we could tell
If it all blows up and goes to hell
I wish that we could sit upon the bed in some hotel
And listen to the stories we could tell
-Jimmy Buffett, "The Stories We Could Tell".

     Whenever I hear this song by Jimmy Buffett I always get nostalgic about the memories and stories that I hang onto. Some of them I still am amazed by. Some are sad, some funny. I have a lot of memories that make me lonely for my kids, and a few that make me glad they no longer live with me! It's fun to look back and treasure the snapshots of the past we can recollect. The good memories. The happy times. Yet we all have memories we wish we could erase and be free of. Words spoken in anger, lapses of good judgment, and moments we let our egos have free rein.

     Dwelling on past mistakes can hamper our growth as we strive to live authentic lives. As can relying solely on past successes to fuel our present. Perfection isn't one of the stories that any one of us can claim. So in order for us to flourish and grow we need to begin forgiving ourselves for the past and let it go. But by the same token, the good memories are just that- memories. Glimpses into the past that we should treasure while looking ahead and making more. Using the good and the not so good as tools to spur our growth. Learning the valuable lessons that looking back can teach us and utilizing what we can to build on our self esteem. So let's go put that Letter-man's jacket away, give yourself a high-five and get out there! You have memories to make!