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The past wields a double-edged sword over human beings when, and if, it is permitted to do so. It represents the best and worst of who we are today, and who we have been in prior times of life. It entangles us in webs of guilt and shame, or it shelters us in places of security and light. It represents good and evil at the same time, a simultaneous blessing and curse. The past is our health and our disease, wrapping us in a sense of well-being and wholeness, or forever binding us in unbreakable chains of pain and sickness. We dwell in the past because it, ultimately, defines our perceptions of ourselves, both to our detriment and to our advantage.

The past can be a troublesome foe. The mistakes, failures, shortcomings, and sins we either committed or endured, refuse to allow us to move forward in life, and take up permanent residence in our hearts and souls. We are forced to contend with them when we have not properly learned the lessons they intend to teach us. Denial of our past errors is a futile exercise, for it only makes them stronger and more cunning. Our self-esteem and self-respect can be destroyed by the negative memories we hold onto, thereby shaping our opinions of ourselves. The past haunts us in this respect, and until we choose to accept the transgressions we have made, we can never be truly free from their constraints.

Quite the contrary, the past also represents the very best of times. The moments that exist in our memories for the positive emotions they evoke. Love and joy, soundness of mind, and better days than those which we may be presently experiencing, can also hold us in the past for a great deal of time. However, in this way, the past can also be a trap. The denial of the present is equally as dangerous as the denial of the past. We, as human beings, only truly have the present, this very moment in time. Unfortunately, we live in either the past or the future, and miss the wonder of today. There is much to learn from the past, but remaining there through the entire course of our lives does not serve us well, and, in fact, can keep us in a state of everlasting despair.

Simply put, the past is a powerful force. It can be our closest friend, or our greatest enemy. Human beings do have the capability to harness the strength and intensity of the past, but we must be willing to do so. Only then will we be able to live for today, neither desperately longing for the past, nor painfully remorseful over days gone by.

Learn more about this author, Mary Ann Rudy.
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