The Way We Were! #family #reunions #reminicing #memories

Over the last couple of weeks with a dear uncle of mine passing away, and the reunion of my best friend, a lot of time has been spent thinking of the past.  The good, the bad, the ugly and the exquisite. With his passing a lot of memories have been foremost in our minds, remembered and shared.  Mostly the memories are of those that have gone before him.  People, that in your mind, he will love to catch up with, if there is a next life.  People that were part of his life, my life.  People who would have nurtured, given advice, taught and encouraged him to be the great man he was.   
These memories can be both bitter and sweet.  People like him, and others, have brought joy and meaning to our lives. They have encouraged us to conquer our fears. They have guided us when at times we thought there was little hope. They have shown by action, rather than words, their strengths and their weaknesses. These memories consciously or subconsciously have led us to be the people that we are today.  In our silence, away from the great tributes of joy that this man and many others have brought  us, we meditate, reflect, and recount why people such as he, have formed our lives. Sadly we also remember some of those people that have given us grief, not encouraged us. The ones that, without the help of those who are great, may have caused us to fall by the wayside and suffer badly.   
It just so happened that my best friend came at this time.  To her I recount those great stories! But, along with those, there are some very hurtful ones and we have been able to spring clean. Being a true friend you are free to share those scattered pictures of your past.  You are able to showcase them in their original form, and display for everyone to view your mantle of many happy occasions.

There are however, some pictures that are only to be reflected upon. Some pictures to be viewed, and contemplate, how they are only the negatives of our album.  These pictures can be seen through lenses that blur our vision of our past.  These pictures are exposed for their poor quality and having  revisited these snaps of our past, you can dust them off,  re box, seal and dispose of finally.  These unhappy snaps of our life should be aired, observed and visited, but we must call on the happy shots that have brought us strength.  Allow these beautiful memories to over ride the evil negatives that have been lurking in that box of nostalgia.

We must look at the positives that these people have given us through our lives.  Let them take precedence and shelve the negative influences.  Until we dispose of the negatives properly they will give our mantle a smoke haze rather than the warmth these embers of hope and joy have given us.  

It is great to speak these thoughts and feelings that you have.  It is also great to expose these negatives  so they can never be displayed on a mantle of horror.  We must deal with and then dispose of, so that their influences can never discolour the beauty that we have found within.  Until we deal with these memories, we can never truly see the beauty, and we can never forget those who were/are not so good.

Air these memories, dispose of the negatives and remember the way we were with a view to a great future. Only then will our newly dusted pictures be truly exquisite and shed real warmth and a glow for those around us.

Cheers!

Bitchescoz

Contact: luke65mcbride@gmail.com

The Way We Were! Barbra Streisand