lessons from the trail part 13 - look forward, not back

steve and i were talking about the past. okay, he was telling me to leave the past where it is.

because my children grew up in the 90’s, it’s best said by...

pumbaa: it's times like this my buddy timon here says: you got to put your behind
in your past.

timon: No, no, no. amateur. lie down before you hurt yourself.

i rarely look over my shoulder when i’m running. i have stopped and looked at a particularly tough area of the trail to see it from both sides. when I climbed in boulder i took a picture looking up. then i took one from the top of the mountain looking down. (interesting that they were both where i was going…)

when i waded the water crossing at the rockin’ k, i looked back to see what i had just finished. that may have been the only time. i stop and look and enjoy the scenery and the view, but i find i’m always looking where i’m going, not where i’ve been.

it’s time to put this in practice in the rest of my life. i believe in moving forward. but I’m not too sure i haven’t let looking backward affect me negatively.

some areas it’s okay to reflect, for instance, my kids when they were little. but it’s not healthy to dwell on it and miss them all being home to the point that i sit and cry. just remember it as happy, albeit (can you believe i just used the word albeit? i started to take it out but it made me laugh) crazy time of life and think about the good now, and better coming.


how many people in the bible put their behinds in their past as they moved forward for god?

the apostle paul quit killing christians and became a mighty man of god.

the disciple peter quit being scared and denying jesus and taking his eyes off of him to become one of the greatest preachers of the first century (or ever).

rahab put her past as a prostitute behind her to help the spies that came to jericho escape and is listed in the lineage of jesus.

john the baptist had a whole ministry of preparing for what was to come. telling people someone great was coming, look forward, etc.


the view of where i’m going is more exciting than the view of where i’ve been.