You've Moved On, Should You Revisit?
Take Pen to Paper: Edition 142
Hi, Friends!
How do you feel about revisiting the places, habits, or activities that you have moved on from?
There is a lot that I have no desire to revisit - the one miserable teaching job I had, or vacationing in a camper. I know many people who love using their camper, and as a child, it was fun. Now it looks like it would be work. It didn’t upset me that I had previously made plans for the weekend of my 50th high school reunion.
However, I have much in my life I would gladly revisit.
In this newsletter:
Sometimes revisiting happens in a surprising way.
Other revisits are planned and purposeful.
Revisits have a mixed bag of reviews.
Surprise! Remember This?
Just this week, I was listening to the radio while driving. I jumped from station to station and landed on classical music. The announcer talked about the composer, Antonio Salieri, then played a beautiful piece of music.
This took me back to the two years I spent reading Clemency Button-Hill’s Year of Wonder and Another Year of Wonder, then listening to the music she wrote about. I enjoyed learning something new every day about classical music and composers. Subjects I knew little about.
I’ve moved on to other daily readings, like Shakespeare and Ovid, but I miss listening to a daily dose of classical. I could revisit the habit. I kept them for that reason.
On The Agenda
On occasion, I find myself planning to revisit something from my past.
I have books I like to reread, vacation spots I wish to return to, or foods I want to taste (one coffee in the morning, given up a few years ago). It’s a matter of finding the time, putting it on the schedule, or ignoring newly adopted healthy habits.
One activity on my agenda that I always plan when we visit extended family is to revisit my grandmother’s house. Of course, it is no longer my grandmother’s house and hasn’t been for 40 years, but in my mind, it’s the house of many special memories.
When we are in town, I’ll ask my husband to drive by. Or sometimes I will go by myself. I’m not sure when I will be able to give up that planned revisit.
Reviews Are In!
New or old, we pass judgment on what we do.
Was it as good as I expected? Is it like I remembered it? Has it improved over time? Do I have a different point of view or perspective now?
I’m sure it’s happened to you. You watch a movie you haven’t seen in a while. You loved it the first time, and you thought, “Why?” on the revisit. The same can be true of books we read, vacation spots, or anything we revisit.
Thirty-five years ago I bought two framed pictures for my dream dining room. At the time, they were expensive. I hung one on each side of the buffet. Now, knowing how much I spent on them keeps me from taking them down, but I have other ideas for decorating.
We have to prepare ourselves for change - change in ourselves and change in what we revisit.
Regardless of what I find on revisits, I experience memories, appreciation, and gratitude. Those feelings may be for the past, the present, or both. Revisiting may spark forgotten memories, or appreciation and gratitude for what we had or have.
If revisits can do that, aren’t they worth it?
7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:
I am grateful that, despite the changes indicated in the pictures above, my memories of my grandmother’s house remain as it was 40 years ago (pictured on the left). It was always painted white with a screened-in front porch.
It’s a good thing that revisiting provides an opportunity to reflect on the past and consider the present. 🪞
A quote: “Take care of all your memories. For you cannot relive them.” - Bob Dylan
This brief article compares forgetting the past and carrying the past with you.
I’ve read Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird at least four times, and it never fails me.
It’s a good thing to schedule your revisits. I could easily listen to a piece of classical music every day, but as with any habit, it helps if it’s on the calendar or in the routine. 📅
I am grateful that I can revisit experiences and accept that I have moved on. No regrets here!
Thank you for reading. Do you enjoy revisiting past experiences?
Until next time,
💚
Susan
Do you have a book or vacation spot that’s on your revisit list? Please share! Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear about it.
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I have a 2nd newsletter about journaling. It’s a great way to learn about journaling, especially if you are new to the habit. If you are interested or know someone who would be, check it out at From The Pen’s Nib: A Commonplace Book About Journaling.