WHENEVER we try to do our best, we do get far, don't we? And even if we don't get as we wanted, surely we are not where we started. It is a given; when one makes the effort to forge on despite the many obstacles along the way, you get somewhere.
It may not always be according to what you had planned, but with patience and perseverance, hopefully, we will achieve our goal! The experience may not always be pleasant but if we hold on long enough, we see how things turn to our favor.
During my childhood days, I used to hear the adage: “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” (He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his destination.)
I am pretty sure you too, have encountered this popular Jose Rizal quote if you perchance, were schooled under the Philippine education system.
You would have encountered this more than once and more often around August when the Linggo ng Wika is observed every year. I have heard it so many times that it is somehow ingrained in me. These words pop up in my mind whenever there are situations when I need to be reminded how I got to where I am.
Mind you, it is not always during moments of victory when we lose sight of who we are although we may develop the tendency to be smug about it. Sometimes success gets in one’s head and we begin to think we are above anyone else thereby alienating people. It can happen so fast you find yourself wondering what the hell happened. Hala! Time to retrace one’s steps to humble (and simpler) beginnings to stay grounded, right?
I also found that backtracking helps those who feel “lost” in whatever inner turmoil they are in. During these times, there reminding ourselves about the past might be good too. I do it when I feel growing discontent within me and I am not sure how it started. The unsettling feeling that prevails makes me miserable and it can be quite disabling as it grows.
When it gets to that point, I make the effort to step back and try to assess the situation even when I am hesitant to do so. I make time for it, even when I feel that it just might be an exercise of futility, just to leave no stone unturned. Really, it is those seemingly insignificant experiences (good or bad) that somehow fall between the cracks of our consciousness that can turn out to be the culprits of our negative feels.
When any of these happen to you remind yourself of better days that have faded into the background. The good ones are always worth coming back to, believe me. Sometimes all we need is to retrace our path to realize that we enjoyed the journey. When we do, all is well again. Happy Sunday Everyone! :)