The Mind, The Mindful
There’s something about looking through old pictures that stirs up a weird tension of nostalgia, contentment and fear.
The mind is such a strange thing. Each picture brings back a memory that is linked to a chain of memories, not in a chronological way or any way that makes particular sense, but more like flashes of color that intricately trigger one another through ways past explanation.
Pictures bring back the beautiful past. Certain events, certain people, certain places. Undoubtedly a part of the mind is filled with longing to enjoy those moments once again, but not really. To have lived them is already a privilege, and they, like footprints, have led up to where you stand now. But with every certainty there mingles the uncertain, and that is where the fear comes in.
To name but only a few of The Uncertains:
What Ifs
Should I Haves
I Wish I Hadn’ts
Maybe This Would’ves
It Would’ve Been Interesting Ifs
What if I had been on time? Should I have really gone? I wish I hadn’t said no. Maybe this would’ve changed what we’ve become. It would’ve been interesting if it all worked out.
But no, you’ve done what you’ve done and here you are, and you’re a happy soul. It is a fun endeavor once in a while, ruminating uncertainties and endless possibilities leading to endless destinations of trailing footprints, but only one of them can be yours, and well, here you are. So stop thinking, stop clogging up your mind and just be mindful of the present, how delightful it is, and where you will step next.
