Looking Back, Moving Forward
“Sometimes you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead” - Yvonne Woon
Editor’s note: Originally written on June 9th, 2014 and posted to my Inspire Those Who Inspire You WordPress site. This piece, like me, continues to evolve. It’s updated to reflect growth, gratitude, and the perspective time has offered.
Welcome fellow travelers of change and knowledge seekers, today’s post is one of reflection. It’s to look back on how life can change in the blink of an eye as well what can be learned upon revisiting old places that once meant the world to us. If you’re ready to take this trip back in time with me, let’s go!
Isn’t crazy how fast life goes? One moment I was graduating from high school and the next, I was beginning a whole new chapter of my life. College.
College was something I always looked forward to. Sure, my idea of what college might be like was based off movies or television shows that I grew up watching. But it was also encouraged by teachers at my high school as it would provide better opportunities.
So, of course I was hopeful. I was looking forward to all the adventures ahead, I was excited to make new friends, and I was curious about all the new topics to explore. More specifically, ones that were’t offered in high school. But I was also a little nervous to leave home to attend a school out-of-state. Even if that school was only a one-and-a-half hour drive away. This allowed me the option to return home, if I needed to for any reason. A perfect mix one could say.
As for which school I ended up choosing, it will remain a mystery for now. The plan is to write a post about my experience here. The reasons this school stood out to me, in particular, aside from the scholarship I’d receive, was the surroundings, the atmosphere, and the proximity. Plus, one of my parents found it to be “safe” in their eyes.
The campus was beautiful. If you like the outdoors and you feel you are more of a rural or country type, this was a great place to be. And honestly, a favorite to return too. From the woods surrounding campus with walking trails to a short ride to the lake, there was something peaceful, something enticing, something calm there.
And the people were no different. They were sweet, friendly, funny, kind, and lots of fun. I was fortunate enough to meet not only some wonderful individuals at orientation but also through some of my other classes. While I did have to take a pre-requisite for a reading class because I didn’t score high enough for reading, at the time, I also took a math class, an International Studies class, a World Geography class, and a swimming class. Besides the math class being at 8am in the morning, the classes kept me intrigued.
The one thing I wish I had known before attending, however, was that the school was more of a commuter school. In case you’re not familiar, this meant that most students would return home for the weekends, during breaks, and campus would be quieter than it usually would be. Or there would be less students around. And that was hard. I intentionally chose to attend a school out-of-state and away from my friends because I wanted the chance to meet new people. Make new friends. Try new things. It was a bit of a let down in a way.
While attending, I also heard from a family member that it wasn’t the best school for teaching. I guess the teaching program wasn’t recognized, or something. I’m not sure exactly.
Eventually the quietness got to me. I started to return home on weekends as well. And slowly but surely, I felt a shift. Like I didn’t belong anymore. That perhaps, the campus was too quiet and it didn’t offered as much as I had hoped it would. At the end of my first semester there, I made the difficult decision to return home.
It wasn’t until a year-and-a-half went by before I returned to a place I once called home. And when I did, it reminded me of my experience there. The late night trips to Walmart, to Applebee’s, to Coldstone. Laughing with friends. Taking pictures at the beach. Visiting lighthouses. My friends surprising me with a cake for my birthday. Trying curry. Reminiscing about some of the assignments I had or how awesome the professors were. Everything.
I wondered if I had made the wrong decision. If I should’ve stayed another semester. If that would’ve changed the course of my life. Or if it was meant to be this way. I was unsure and I was still trying to figure it out.
After the trip, I realized that I may never get those answers. I can’t see into the future. Even if I could, I don’t know if I would want to. Because the beauty of life is discovering what’s out there. It’s choosing to follow our hearts or listening to our minds. It’s about making mistakes or going with the flow. It’s about living. It’s about finding people who love us for who we are. And most of all, experiencing life. Good, bad, the ugly and choosing the next step forward.
My trip back to my old school was an invitation to honor what was, to recognize what’s changed or how I’ve changed, and how I was going to move forward. And so, that became my new focus.
So, if you’re trying to decide on what it the next decision to make in your own life, remember this:
It’s okay to pause, to pivot, or to begin again. Sometimes the most life-changing chapters begin with letting go of the ones we outgrew. And other times, we learn something new about ourselves.
If you managed to make it to the end of this post, thank you joining me on this journey. If you have a similar experience or have some of your own advice to share, my social media links are listed above, I’d love to connect and continue this conversation further. Until next time, I’m sending you love and light.
As a signature of my blog, I’d like to end this post with a suggestion to “Pass on kindness.” There’s no time like the present to Inspire Those Who Inspire You. Acts of kindness, no matter how big or small, can have a direct, positive impact on someone else. Go out there today and change someone’s life for the better!
***These are my personal opinions and may not be those of my employer.***
