Moving On: To Remember, and to Let Go

Back in March 2009, The Walkabout, né Peter's Walkabout came into being. It was inspired by the ABC TV Show LOST, in a season 4 episode.

Over the years, I have changed URLs, tweaked the blog's look and even gone into necessary hiatus whenever necessary.
The blog ideals, purpose and intent have however remained unchanged.

That said, I came to realize that writing invariably remains etched in my mind and whenever I stop writing, I still keep coming back for more, even when I think I've had enough of it. I guess it has a lot to do with what my long time goals are, as far as writing is concerned.
I remember reading the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book some years ago, and in the Safe Haven personal story, that A.A. found that the process of discovering who he really was began with knowing who he didn't want to be. I just cannot imagine how I'd end up if I stopped writing.

That brings me to what today's post is really about. A close friend recently asked me why I haven't cut all links with them even after I quit Facebook, Twitter and online chat. In my reply, I explained that the future is always predicated on the past. In fact, I felt that I sounded like Christian Shephard in the LOST finale, when he explained to his son Jack why the Losties once again found each other long after their deaths.



Christian said,

The most important part of your life was the time you spent with these people. That’s why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone Jack. You needed all of them and they needed you…To remember, and, let go.

Looking at my life, I dare not lose sight of the fact that it has taken many others to shape me into something good. It takes other people for us to learn, to improve, to progress. And all that is every bit worth remembering.

So where does letting go come in?
You see, moving on is only possible when you embrace the new and relinquish the old. It doesn't always involve breaking ties or burning bridges. Letting go simply involves acknowledging that the old has passed and the new has come to take its place.

Interestingly, letting go is very rarely possible to those who have in any way given up. For the hopeless, Dionne Farris's Hopeless is a very deep song that addresses the need to let go.
She sings,

Goodbye morning, sorry it had to end / Goodbye morning, you just won't do me right / I stayed just a little too long / Now it's time for me to move on

Goodbye yesterday, I just can't stay around / Goodbye yesterday, I can't take you with me / You see I stayed just a little too long / No, no, no I can't ...

Therefore, beginning this Easter weekend, take time to remember all that has gone into making you what you are today. Decide what needs to accompany you as you move on into progress. And more important, take note of what you need to let go of, and do the needful.