I'm not exactly sure why, but this summer I've had a good dose of nostalgia. I suspect nostalgia has struck for many reasons. First, some whom I have love and have shared significant time with are no longer around or able to spend meaningful time with me. The summer months especially highlight this as I spent many fun days with these people during summer days. Next, as my children grow, life finds me all of a sudden in a brand new chapter--one I need to attend to with a bit more attention and thought. One day your home is crazy-busy, and then it seems like you blink your eyes and life has changed. I must say I love the quiet, but I also miss the playful days of parenting young children. Though I have thought back to the past before in life, I think this is the first year that I've actually had these moments of deeper, more thoughtful nostalgia.
As one who believes it's important to dig into the emotions you feel and find the promise that those feelings bring you, I want to think about the promise of nostalgia.
Nostalgia is a teacher
As I think back to rich experiences in my past, I see clearly activity and energy that was well used and some behaviors that were less positive. All in all, the message has been that it's critical to invest in good relationships, go easy on friends and family members, and find the common times, events, and activities you enjoy together. Also be there to support, celebrate, and encourage those loved ones in ways that you can. A loving note, visit, or celebratory event builds community and care. We need each other, and it's important to find ways to love and support one another in meaningful and memorable ways.
Tradition brings us together
Those long held traditions truly help to solidify important connections amongst family and friends. To disregard tradition is to challenge those long-held relationships. As I think about these bouts of nostalgia, I am thinking about the traditions that generally bring us together each year, traditions that include Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, summer vacation, homecomings, sports events, weddings, new babies, and more. To celebrate each other's special events bring us together and deepens our ties. This is essential.
Memories
Photo collages, memory books, and family/friend stories remind us of the good times. It's important to choose some of those and make them part of your home. Placing reminders of the good times in your midst reminds you of who and what are important.
New relationships and traditions
As life moves on, some relationships weaken due to time and geography while new relationships rise. You may strengthen those new relationships with what you've learned from the past relationships. Most of my friends are now welcoming the people their children love and have chosen to spend their lives with, and those people bring their families and eventually grandchildren too. This is the next chapter, a chapter that sets the stage for good living for your children's children and their extended families.
Nostalgia is a stage that I believe strikes more often as you enter your second half of life, before that, most people are simply too busy living to think back that often. Yet for young people who have lost loved ones earlier than me, that might not be true. Like every emotion in life, nostalgia can be a teacher that leads you to deepening old relationships and building positive new relationships. Life evolves, and I believe we can use what we've learned and experienced to set the stage for best possible living going forward. Onward.
As one who believes it's important to dig into the emotions you feel and find the promise that those feelings bring you, I want to think about the promise of nostalgia.
Nostalgia is a teacher
As I think back to rich experiences in my past, I see clearly activity and energy that was well used and some behaviors that were less positive. All in all, the message has been that it's critical to invest in good relationships, go easy on friends and family members, and find the common times, events, and activities you enjoy together. Also be there to support, celebrate, and encourage those loved ones in ways that you can. A loving note, visit, or celebratory event builds community and care. We need each other, and it's important to find ways to love and support one another in meaningful and memorable ways.
Tradition brings us together
Those long held traditions truly help to solidify important connections amongst family and friends. To disregard tradition is to challenge those long-held relationships. As I think about these bouts of nostalgia, I am thinking about the traditions that generally bring us together each year, traditions that include Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, summer vacation, homecomings, sports events, weddings, new babies, and more. To celebrate each other's special events bring us together and deepens our ties. This is essential.
Memories
Photo collages, memory books, and family/friend stories remind us of the good times. It's important to choose some of those and make them part of your home. Placing reminders of the good times in your midst reminds you of who and what are important.
New relationships and traditions
As life moves on, some relationships weaken due to time and geography while new relationships rise. You may strengthen those new relationships with what you've learned from the past relationships. Most of my friends are now welcoming the people their children love and have chosen to spend their lives with, and those people bring their families and eventually grandchildren too. This is the next chapter, a chapter that sets the stage for good living for your children's children and their extended families.
Nostalgia is a stage that I believe strikes more often as you enter your second half of life, before that, most people are simply too busy living to think back that often. Yet for young people who have lost loved ones earlier than me, that might not be true. Like every emotion in life, nostalgia can be a teacher that leads you to deepening old relationships and building positive new relationships. Life evolves, and I believe we can use what we've learned and experienced to set the stage for best possible living going forward. Onward.