Onward!
All paths are open.
My sister and I were talking the other day about my parents. They had an “Onward!” mindset. They refused to look backward, didn’t get stuck in regret, and weren’t held down by the expectations of their origins. They were forward looking all the time.
Sometimes, it drove me nuts - especially when I wanted them to address a perceived past wrong.
And sometimes it made me sad. They didn’t share many stories about their childhoods and the lives they left to pursue their dreams.
But mostly, it gave me an unyielding understanding that life moves forward. Unless you die, there’s no other option. Your choice is how you move with it.
And if you lean all the way into a forward mentality, with no attachment to or judgement of the past, then all paths are open.
Doesn’t mean those paths will be easy or free of hardship and obstacles.
But if you truly believe all paths are open to you, what becomes possible then?
My mother's favorite phrase waas "This too shall pass."
This is fun to think about. I was raised in the “Buck Up” school of life, and I think that model of perseverance has been useful to me. Also, as balance, I wanted my daughter to be able to know her feelings and rest when she needs it, things that I learned too late.