There was an interesting reflection in this month's Messenger by Guy Wampler. The reflection dealt with how we tend to favor nostalgia instead of grieving about a particular era gone by. He notes that "Saying goodbye to that which is past makes room for something new to happen. Grief while painful, has the potential of becoming more liberating." And he invites the reader to move beyond the notion of nostalgia which (I believe) elicits worry about the present circumstances with this great little quip "Worry will not free tomorrow of its troubles; it only robs today of its strength."
The reflection spoke to me because I tend to be a nostalgic person. I often long for the "way it used to be" and I'm in my late 20's! Maybe its because I have this idealistic notion of how when we had to work harder at something it required a bit more intentionality than we give to things nowadays. I would say that the reason I tend to be nostalgic is because I seek to discover how we might return to that way of intentionality only knowing more because of of our hindsight.
Then Guy goes on to say "Nostalgia is to romanticize the past and to long to recover it. Grief is to mourn the loss of that which was once cherished, but to let it go and allow something new to come into being."
Maybe I should learn to treat those moments of nostalgia much more like I do when I grieve the loss of my mother. It is easy to remember the good times and love that she shared with us while she was on this earth... but instead 0f getting caught up in that emotion, I think about how she continues to live in me and the things I say and do in the smallest of ways points to her life and her influence on me.
I need to be less nostalgic... only then can I begin to hope. Hope that my life does reflect what my mother taught me. Hope that for such a time as this, God is doing something new and wonderful in my life and in the church. After all, why should I think about the "good 'ol days" then and miss the goodness of this day!
1 comment:
I am writing a novel that touches a time in my life that was and is precious to me. The best word in the English language that describes my feelings, thoughts, and memories is: nostalgia, a sweet, slighlty painful, warm, delicious love for the effect of that time on me.
I thought to research what others say about "nostalgia." Thank you for your post.
But I will say one thing: nostalgia has been a close friend for most of my life. She has helped me through good times and bad. Don't give her up for grief. Grief is a selfish friend. She, rather than nostalgia, will keep you chained to the past. I am in my 50's.
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