Ever notice something that was once very important to you but is now a thing of the past? Maybe it’s a brief moment of reminition or an upsetting reminder of what you once had. Either way, it stands like an ancient monument in your memory. It stays there trying to tell you who you are because it’s a part of your past after all. It’s a piece of where you came from. But here’s the thing:

The monuments of your past don’t know how you’ve changed.

We may miss the past, have trouble letting go, or even try to go back—but we are designed to move forward. That’s the nature of change…to go into something new—and this is constantly happening to each of us. We are constantly called to adapt because we simply can’t stay in the same place if we want to gain anything. 

So as we go through all the things we do, these monuments which remain a part of us slowly make their way into the past. Each relationship, hobby, experience, etc prepared us in some way for what came after and so that’s how it goes. We are made up of everything we’ve gone through. That one thing you can’t seem to let go of however—maybe it’s a deep regret or something that was lost—can persistently impart a false identity. 

If this is something you can relate to, know that we each need to sometimes take a moment to look at how far we’ve come; Remember how you felt in the past and then recall everything you’ve been through since then—take the current you and try to fit it to the you of that past time. You’ll find the current you doesn’t quite fit anymore. Why? Because you’ve grown, you’ve adapted, you’ve moved on…you’ve changed.