Yesterday I was reading a blog entry written by a pastor, in which he outlined lessons he had learned in leading people through change. One statement in particular - 'Celebrate the past' - really struck me. Then this morning I just happened to catch the end of a radio programme based on a recently released book, 'Permanent Present Tense', written by a researcher in neuro-psychology about her experiences studying a man who had no memory. The two together produced the following musings. The quote at the end is from a speech made by John F Kennedy.
Save me, Lord, from living in a permanent present tense;
With my constant rushing from one deadline to the next,
Not living for each moment so much as just about surviving it.
Forgive me for when I dismiss too quickly what has gone before;
For when my preoccupation with the now,
And my eagerness for what is next,
Blind me to the significance of what you have already done.
You are helping me to see...
The past is a gift:
A great and precious library of case studies to be explored and learned from and built on.
And you, you are the knowledgeable librarian, showing me where to look and helping me to understand,
Training me in this art of Holy Remembering.
For what we learned yesterday is the compass to navigate tomorrow
And "it is in celebrating the past that we awaken the future."
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