Overcoming the hold of the past

A lot of people are criticised and blamed for living in the past. They are taunted for their lack of reformation and progression. Draining their strength, efforts and thoughts on past misfortune. Historically disadvantaged backgrounds, epic past errors, lost opportunities, bad judgements leading to bad decisions. The list is endless and the reasons given are many. Someone once said the reason why a rear view mirror is small and a windscreen large is to give more focus to the destination while being mindful of what is behind. Stories abound of people with not so good a past who have overcome it to be successful against all odds. They have let go of baggage from the past and moved on. Soldiering on to become recognised and respected icons in their fields of influence in the quest of determining a better and desired destiny different and detached from that which life gave them. Vision, attitude and courage are all they clung onto. The past they let go, only looking to their destiny. With vision, attitude and courage they have soared. Turned sorrow to joy and mourning to dancing. Examples abound of such people who have overcome. Whether they be black or white, orphans or paralymbians, previously abused, deemed stupid and good for nothing, made to believe they would amount to nothing in their lives. With their most valuable asset, self worth, crushed and destroyed, they had HOPE for a different future from that predestined by their past and they explored and pursued it. They are there and we have seen them rise to their destiny. They all have a different past but this did not kill their vision, but became a reason for changing direction and being determined for the future. It became a good solid reference point and a point of departure as to why they pursued greatness the way they did. So that when they finally achieved greatness in due season, the past was relevant, but not a restraint to greatness. This, making the success more amplified and significant. Hence their success had nothing to do with the past, it had everything to do with their quest to succeed and overcome the past.

Image adapted from Kate Ter Haa