Living in the past

One of the common sins we commit is to mistake the past for the present. Sometimes, we find the past easier to deal with. Times when we were simple, young and clueless. And the world was less complicated. So we live our present with the conditions of the past.

On the other hand, some may live in the past because it was worse than now. The times were hard, people were sharp and they cut us frequently with their words or actions. Some of the wounds never heal because we lick them constantly. We feed the bruised egos with our attention and keep them exposed.

Both are difficult to recognize and deal with.

There's a third kind. You deny emotional and physical growth among your friends. You refuse to let them outlive their childish weaknesses. You refuse to see their maturity for all its worth. When you meet a friend and you start to talk, try to focus on the topics you bring up. Is it about the past mistakes that your friend commits? That's when you are not letting the past go. It doesn't hurt you that much. But you sting your friend because you imprison him in the past.

This is also difficult to see in yourself. You are lonely in the past. You want to stick there and you need company.