After the weekend, I have had a lot of time to reflect on the world in general and my world specifically. Human beings are by definition optimists. We have to be. If we were pessimists, there are so many things that we would never do. We wouldn’t walk in the park, have pets, procreate, marry (sometimes repeatedly), eat things that we want instead of things we should, revisit the places that meant a lot, go to school or a multitude of other things.
It somehow makes sense that I became a project manager. When I was talking with friends and colleagues, they aren’t surprised that I have my journal and pen. If I don’t write it down, it isn’t important.
Anyone who knows me knows that writing comes fairly easily, especially if the topic has anything to do with project management. One of the toughest tasks for me was to write yesterday’s post. Lance’s memory is still fresh. Today, a group of us gathered to share memories. Each of us had at least good memory and some of us more than one. Those of us with multiple memories are truly blessed.
As individuals, we don’t often take the time to ponder the present or near past. After all, if the near past was important, we would be studying it instead of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759), who won and who lost, and why we are still fighting after that battle was won. The old animosities colour who we are today.
We should review our immediate history with an eye to the lessons that we can learn. Memories hold the lessons for the journey that we are taking. Those memories, however fleeting, contain the messages that allow our future journey to be smoother.
The nugget for today is “ We have to let go of the baggage carried by others. Each of us is our most important teacher. No one can learn our lessons for us. We learn them alone.”
