Let the Ghosts Stay in the Past

I was driving to my writing group today, wondering what I would write about. You see, I spend most of my waking hours researching and writing technical articles and reports for work. But my true love remains writing my thoughts. When I started this back in 2009, I was afraid to put them out into the world. The COLD. CRUEL. WORLD.

Little did I know that readers, both friendly and anonymous, would shape the way I see things and my self confidence. Today, all these years later, I am comfortable being myself. I’m comfortable sharing my inner thoughts. Now, I don’t just have a hazy memory of what I thought about or felt years ago. I have this amazing bank of content I can go back to and re-read any time I choose to.

But back to the present- so, as I was driving, NPR shared a story about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Have you seen it? I’ve watched it many times over the years and even have a copy on DVD. It’s such a funny, spicy, even sad story. It quickly reminded me that we’re entering the month of October. A month where witches, ghouls and ghosts are welcome. It strikes me that I’m no longer a mom of littles who look forward to Halloween and trick-or-treating. I’m a mom of grown people. This leaves me room to ponder my own ghosts of past lives.

My ghosts are not friendly, like Casper. They are sad, sometimes scary, visions that remind me of times I could have made better choices. They are the memories of people I’ve let hurt me, people I put too much trust in, people who don’t deserve any place in my life. So they swirl in the background, sometimes popping out just when I think life is too good to be true.

I’ve given mind-space to my ghosts for long enough. Now, I choose to focus on the people who have built me up over the years, not to those who tore me down. I choose to give time to the people who give love and support freely. It’s no longer about facing past ghosts, it’s about diminishing the role I have allowed them to play in my mind for far too long.

Ghosts be gone!

How about you? Any “ghosts” lingering in your past that you need to banish? I’d love to hear about them in the comments. After all, it’s just life here and we’re all here to learn and grow.

*For those who are interested in a writing group near you, check out Shut Up and Write!