Sunday, December 23, 2012

A trip down memory lane

I am sorry for having skipped last week’s post, I usually try to write an article every week, but this week was different. The reason is that I have to live with my family for about two weeks. Initially I thought I could just come over for Christmas and then leave again but, due to reasons that are too complex to explain here, I have to stay longer. Those of you who have been reading my posts regularly probably know a bit about the situation between my family and me, although I didn’t tell all the details. So, because of the prospect of having to stay there, I couldn’t really concentrate on writing.

Did you ever go on a trip into your past? Was it voluntarily or were you thrown into it? What were your feelings connected to it?
Or are you able to live completely in the present and never look back? I’d like to say that I do, I usually try, and I did make peace with the fact that I will never have a good relationship with my family, my mother and my brother in particular. I just decided to live my own life. I think it is good and even necessary to let the past go. But there are moments that throw me back. Lately some people keep telling me they think I am strong, but especially in these moments I am not at all. Whenever I visit my family everything changes, mainly because nothing has really changed. I hope this doesn’t sound too confusing.
Did you ever look back and realized how good it is that past is over? This is what happens to me every time I visit my family. To be honest, I hate it. Nothing feels worse than stepping over the threshold of the entry door, every time I just want to turn around and run away. I hate sleeping in my old room, in my old bed, there are too many memories. I feel anything but free when being here. This is what describes it best, this feeling of being somehow trapped. It feels like there is something pressing my chest, not letting me breathe. I wish I could say that I can forget and forgive, but every time I’m here I realize that I can’t entirely. I couldn’t sleep for two weeks before going here and when I just thought of it I felt literally sick. I won’t stay any longer than necessary.
However, I am trying to see the positive side, which is that I don’t have to live here constantly anymore. Besides, I am really looking forward to a little Christmas party I am having later in the evening with a few old friends of mine. This is the other side of my journey into the past, I really missed those friends. We went to the same school but afterwards we all chose a different university, plus I moved away for my studies, so we don’t see each other very often now. Nevertheless, when we meet, it is like nothing ever changed and we’re best friends again. So, visiting my home town really is like a trip into the past, it seems like nothing ever changes here. I like to think that by moving away I escaped this state of not being able to move forward.
Anyway, next week’s post is going to be more like my usual ones again.


I hope you all get to spend Christmas with your loved ones. Merry Christmas, or, if you don’t celebrate Christmas, just have a great time.

14 comments:

  1. I have had the exact same feeling when I've returned to certain places in my past. As soon as you enter the threshold, you feel heavy as if something is dragging your spirit down. It's a real horrible feeling. I guess it reminds me of the terrible things that took place back in the day, and it also warns me to be on my guard and not forget lest I fall into the same unhealthy pattern of being verbally abuse etc again. I never forget the reason why I left certain places or people.

    I think feeling that way might just be a normal thing (but I could be wrong) as we are quite capable of living a full happy life but we all have memories and feelings.

    Yes, I agree. It's always good to see some of the old faces that we miss when being away for long periods of time, so I hope you did enjoy going out with your friends and catching up on what each person is doing. Enjoy Kleopatra :)

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    1. I know exactly what you mean and it’s good for you that you left those places and people.

      I too think it is a quite normal thing, I think most people wouldn’t be able to avoid these feelings when returning to places they connect such bad memories with.

      I did enjoy it. Thanks RPD, and have a wonderful time. :)

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  2. No I don't think I have made a trip to the past considering I've lived where i'm living since I was one so I can't really remember the before being here. I do however sometimes get the trapped feeling as you said by being in certain places so I feel the need to get away to expand my horizons etc. Anyway I hope you enjoy your party and that your Christmas is as good as it can be whilst you're with your family

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    1. I hope where you live is a good place for you. I fully agree, sometimes you just need to get away and expand your horizons. Thanks a lot and I hope you have a nice Christmas too.

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  3. There's nothing quite like being forced down memory lane like that. I'm the type of person that I remember the past constantly. I want to remember the mistakes I made, so I don't make them again, and I enjoy knowing that I have it so much better now than I did then.

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    1. It’s great that you can enjoy your present so much while looking back. I am not yet in that place.

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  4. For me, it's not about forgetting, but ignoring past mistakes so that it's possible to learn, go on and live the present. The need to forget means that it still affects you in a bad way, I guess. There is people, places and stuff I don't want to remember, but don't want to forget either, that'd be like deleting my own history, a part of myself, and not growing stronger or learning anything. Remembering sometimes is necessary, but that doesn't mean memories shouldn't be blocked.

    There's a place with so many bad memories for me, that was in my life for many years, and sometimes being felt really close to madness. But I'm glad I remember (when I need to). I had to stay strong, and I learnt a lot about myself. If I ever forgot it would mean that all that process and part of my life are gone. But I guess everyone has a different way to carry on, some can't ignore, some can't forget, and some have to.

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    1. Yes, wanting to forget means that it still affects me in a bad way.
      And I agree, it is good to keep some things in mind and not forget them, as a way to protect yourself from making the same mistakes or because they made you stronger. However, some memories are very painful to remember.
      Thanks for your comment!

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  5. I am here whenever you need me.

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  6. Kleo, Merry Christmas to you! I can relate to your experience here; family events have a way of jolting me out of the present, which is where I try to live. What I've noticed is that relationships have a surprising way of changing or improving when I'm not dwelling in the past or overly concerned with tomorrow. I think that's because doing so improves my own outlook--a win-win situation.

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    1. Thank you, Merry Christmas to you as well! I have made the same experience, unfortunately sometimes it is hard to forget the past, especially when those people still behave in the same way.

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  7. It's natural that you should feel that way. It's probably not just the bad memories but also that you have so little in common with your family now. Nothing to really share so the time with them must be very alienating and boring. I think you just need to accept them as they are and find ways to make the time pass as peacefully and joyfully as possible. The past is really past; there is only the present and how you choose to make use of it.

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    1. Yes, unfortunately we do have nothing in common. Thanks NP, I am trying to make the best out of it and I am certainly trying to make time pass as peacefully as possible.

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