Up until a few weeks ago – specifically prior to drafting this write-up on 13th December 2024—I found myself in an expanse of uncertainty. I often caught myself ruminating about some part of the past and missing it. Life was really good🤭—at least for the most part!
Sometimes I even wonder: What if I hadn’t relocated? Would I have been better off ? Deep down, I know the answer is no 😂😉, but I’d have definitely been more comfortable😌. Then again, growth doesn’t bloom in comfort😓.
There was a time when I felt like this before. Back in university, I found myself reminiscing about my high school life during a conversation with my good friend Dami Hassan, I confessed how much I missed those days. While recounting those funny events, Dami stopped me and said something I’ll never forget (paraphrased):
“Yo! Marve Marve, we can’t go back to that phase. We just pray for better days. It was a nice time, yeah, but we have to move past it.”
Looking back now, I realize I’m in that same phase again😪—but this time, I’m reminiscing about when I was a baller and enjoyed the “ease” and “comfort” of my past life 😂. Dami’s words came back to me, and this time, I didn’t have him to remind me—I had to remind myself😂. That realization brought me clarity, and I came to this resolution:
DEAR AYO,
The truth is even if you go back, it won’t be the same. Life has changed, environments have shifted, and so have you- ideologies have improved, insights have been amassed, and, to say the least, character has been developed🤣. You’re not the same person you were, and that’s okay. The best thing you can do is stay present, work with what you have, and make the most of today as you forge ahead to build towards a better future.
The fact remains that no matter how good the past was, that’s where it will always be—in the past!.
Dear Reader,
As you step into the new year, I nudge you to let the past remain in the past. Don’t beat yourself up over what’s gone. Instead:
- Pick up the lessons it taught you.
- If you achieved something great, build on it to create something even better.
- Don’t just dwell on what was—focus on what can be.
- Shift from “I had” or “I used to” to “I now have” or “I will have”—because the future is still yours to shape.
Remember, the beauty of the past is that it shapes the future. Let it guide you, but don’t let it hold you back. Let the PAST BE IN THE PAST because the FUTURE is where your possibilities lie😘.