Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

Do you ever look back at 'the good ole days' and get anxious?

chanrattchanratt Veteran
edited May 2012 in Buddhism Basics
I'm looking at old pics here on FB. Some from 20 years ago in Greece. Drunk, tanned, young and didn't have a pot to piss in....it was great! Or was it? In fact, I distinctly remember having a lot of anxiety at the time. The same anxiety that I have now. The only difference is that now I recognize it.
But still, I look back and think, 'boy I didn't know how lucky I was. I had it all." The problem is that I was so troubled that I missed it.....I missed it by not being in the moment. I know I wasn't happy then. I was full of insecurity, jealousy, anger... And here I am with different anxieties, looking back at how it was 'supposedly' better then. The truth is, it's way better now. I successfully emigrated to a country I dreamed about living in with a good trade and a great healthy family. I have a 3 YO son that is the best thing that ever happened to me. Now here I am missing it again, only this time, thanks to endless hours on my cushion, I'm aware of it.

Comments

  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    The four noble truths:

    Suffering
    Causes of suffering
    Cessation of suffering
    Path to enlightenment

    You've always had suffering. It might not be the same suffering you have today, but you've always had it. :)
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    I can relate to not being in touch with my flaws and now at least knowing they are there so I'm not quite as subject to their whims as I once was.
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    I'm with you on that. Just keep sittin' I say.:0
  • Invincible_summerInvincible_summer Heavy Metal Dhamma We(s)t coast, Canada Veteran
  • chanrattchanratt Veteran
    I like this guy. He cracks me up.
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited May 2012
    The good ole days sucked. Life is immeasurably better now.. Where before there was being hobbled by chronic fear and anxiety, now things that used to leave me curled up in a ball are like water of a duck's back.. (O.K. maybe I get bit cranky). Where before I felt like an alien particle in a cold and mysterious Universe, now I am always home in my bones. Where before old age disease and death sucked and seemed unfair, now it still sucks, but seems perfectly fair. :)
  • JohnGJohnG Veteran
    Nope. Just learn from all that stupidity and bravado.
Sign In or Register to comment.