by Annette Bromley

Created on: July 11, 2011

Looking back over our yesterdays can be bitter-sweet and to journey back can fill us

with both gladness and a sadness for those times that were...one day not so long ago

I took a JOURNEY BACK...

I journeyed back to yesterday,

to the old paths of my youth

to remember and share some stories…

But to be honest, tell the truth,

you can’t go back; it’s not the same,

those old paths of yesterday

but memories, some bitter-sweet

tumbled out along the way.

I hiked the hills I used to climb,

those wooded trails I used to walk

and surprised myself, still found my way

to that famed, old “Flamstead Rock.”

The “Stone Village,” it’s still grand

but it has changed a lot.

The house, home I grew up in,

is still standing with its barn

and the old front porch we sat on

while hearing the “old folk’s” yarns,

the legends, lore and history

that was their yesterday,

days of my youth;

I journeyed back but I couldn’t stay…

And I think I wouldn’t want to,

to go back and live again,

those days when I was growing up,

my yesterdays, back when.

Though this world sure has its problems

and our world has sadly changed,

there were troubles too in those “good old days”

that I don’t want to live again.

Life is a forward motion

and we must keep moving on…

But oh those memories, sweet memories

since the day my own life dawned:

Those days when family was really family

and we worked and played from dawn to dusk,

and we didn’t worry half as much,

just faced life without a fuss

and did those things we had to do,

folks, neighbors pulled together

and about the only thing we griped about

was probably the weather…

but even when dark clouds rolled in

we believed tomorrow would be better

and we trusted in God’s sweet blessings

and we trusted in each other.

As I journeyed back to yesterday

and found both tears and smiles

while we ate ice cream in the village park

and I remembered for awhile,

I enjoyed sharing the stories

of my life, home, days back then…

but in truth, in all my honesty,

by the time this journey came to end,

I found, though I enjoyed the day,

you can’t go home again.

Learn more about this author, Annette Bromley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.