"Go Forward? Only Thing To Do!"

By Claire Enos

“Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.” 

-- JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit

Interesting factoid I've picked up over the years, through experience: Music has a property of sorts that allows you to remember things you would otherwise forget. For instance, there is one specific CD I listened to a lot while reading Terry Brooks' The Sword of Shannara; now whenever I read the book or listen to the music I am reminded of the other. They are forever connected in my mind, even though they have nothing to do with each other. Music is special, however that is for another post. My point in sharing this interesting fact is that yesterday I had an experience involving it.

I was sitting in the living room watching Bones, and the episode had just ended, the final music was just playing and immediately my mind flew back in time. It flew most directly to something I've been trying to forget for quite some time, but it wasn't the negative feelings I noticed. In fact, I noticed the positive feelings I had toward an old friend.

When I told another friend about this, his first thought, and response, was to point this very important lesson that Bilbo Baggins realizes in The Hobbit. Which is this: It is impossible to move on while still looking to the past. You can't move backwards, you have to keep moving forward. Staying in one place is impossible.

So, that is my new motto: "Keep moving forward, looking toward a bright future rather than wasting a perfectly alright past." My past may not have been the best. I made mistakes, just like everyone else, but those mistakes have led me to where I am now, and will continue to guide who I become in the future. It happened. So, I will get over it and move forward, focusing on becoming the best person I can possibly be.

One day, I hope to be able to put to the page what I have been through to help future generations through the written word. Until then, I will just have to accept what I have and work toward what I want.

So, with that, keep working toward something greater. Keep working toward being the best person you can possibly be, and remember who you are.

<3Claire