Day 30-Memory

Here is the next installment of my Five Minute Free Writes Challenge.

Memories are strange animals. One can look back, at an event in the past, and remember it one way while someone else might remember the event entirely differently.

I have a lot of memories of good, bad and absolutely horrible events from my past. Some as a victim of others and some as a victim on my own poor choices. Today I CHOOSE to focus only on the good. I’ve spent entirely too much time justifying my bad behavior and, also, justifying unforgiveness because of these events but not today. I choose the good, I choose forgiveness, grace, mercy and love.

I was accused of pretending the bad experiences didn’t happen because when sharing past events I choose not to share the bad ones. I surely know they occurred but I can’t see anything constructive by bringing up the time such and such happened. Specially at happy holiday get togethers. Remembering those events is not constructive. Those events helped formed me to be the woman I am today, they help me to be compassionate to others dealing with the same situations and do have a purpose. But they are not for dinner conversations around our holiday table. When I do share them it is to give God the glory because they show who I was, what I went through and who I am today.

As I look back I can see how even though my choices negatively affected myself and others, good was brought about too. To get to the roses you first need to get past the thorns. The thorns serve a necessary, protective purpose.

Do focus on the negative or the positive?

Can you see the roses despite the thorns?

My prayer is that wecan get freedom from the past that has held is captive. There is no way to go back and change choices made but what we can change is how we deal with those memories. Do we allow them to make us a stronger, more compassionate, forgiving person today or allow them to control our words and actions today?

Forgiveness leads to freedom.

Forgiveness of ourselves and forgiveness of others.

The choice is ours.

How will you choose?

If you would like to read more blogs in this series click here 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes Challenge They are written by my Five Minute Friday friends!