THESE are the Good Old Days

Lets be honest with ourselves for a hot minute. The past was not always a blast and the present ain’t as down buzz as it may seem. So whyyyy do I find myself wasting time glamourising the living daylight out of it? Bloody rambling on about “The Good Old Days” like I’m a retiree at the tender age of 24. It’s kind of a drag, to say the least. I’m trying to understand this tantalising tendency to look back at my own personal highlight reel with rose-tinted glasses. For each time I reminisce, I miss the ability to appreciate NOW for all it’s worth.

What doesn’t help, is the massive memory bank right at our fingertips that is social media. Cheers Facebook, I actually would love to see a photo of me 4 years ago tanned and living it up in Greece while sitting as a pale zombie at my desk in the middle of NZ winter. Or how about this reunion photo in your hometown when you’re on the other side of the world feeling more isolated and lonely than ever? Crikey, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself. Nahhhht.

How many of us have lounged around and scrolled through dozens of photos on our profile and thought, “man, back then I was so much better looking, more popular, more care-free”, blah de blah… Allowing an all-consuming cloud of nostalgia to whisk you away into what was and never will be again.

Choose any page of my journal and it’s pretty darn clear that the struggle has always been real. Yet what we see on our social media highlight reel tells a “pretty” different story. One that makes you see the past as a perfect fairytale and your present as a potential nightmare. Except for those shocking hairstyles and clothes you were sporting, in that case, it’s a step up. Heck, I’ve read my fair share of spiritual/ self-help wisdom to know better than to let precious time slip away by thinking of another one. It’s clear as day that being fully present has endless benefits, but in a world that is #obsessed with clinging to youthful memories, it is not so easy to reap them. Step 1: Resist the urge to self-stalk!

I guess what I’m getting at/trying to convince myself of… Is that these are the good old days for goodness sake. These are the moments that matter most. These are the days to be kind, to be grateful, to love and to connect with those around you. If we waste them fantasising over what was, we will not be able to live what is. To fully appreciate and enjoy where we are in our lives and more importantly who we are with.

The past is dead – learn from it, don’t long for it. Today is a glory day, you just have to see it that way 🙂 – Words of wisdom to myself and whoever else can relate.