The past is not set in stone.

I am reading now. .The contaminated cup.a fictional detective novel.

Think “Sherlock Holmes set in Westeros.”

The main character has this augmentation that allows him to take in every detail of every interaction, crime scene, and read these exact details later.

I remember something shocking. Black glass About this section: Being able to remember the facts of every past interaction.

Here's the thing: In all these cases, the facts may be true, but the analysis of these facts still leaves much room for improvement.

I thought about this a lot when I stumbled upon two stories I wanted to share:

“.The past is not true.” from Derek Sivers:

When I was 17 years old, I was driving recklessly and crashed into an oncoming car. I found out I broke the other driver's spine, and then she can't go anymore.

I carried that burden everywhere, and for many years I felt so horrible that at 35 I decided to meet this woman to apologize. I got her name and address, went to her house, knocked on the door and a middle aged lady answered. As I said, “I'm the teenager who crashed your car and broke your spine eighteen years ago,” I started to cry—a big, ugly cry of years of regret.

She was so sweet, and she said, “Oh dear, sweet! don't worry. I'm fine!” Then she walked into her living room.

I misunderstood.

Yes, she lost a couple of vertebrae, but that didn't stop her from walking. She says “that little accident” helped her focus more on her fitness, and she's been in better health than ever since.

and then She apologized First of all, to cause an accident. He apologized.

And this .A story about the “good ole days”.. From author Morgan Howell:

A few months ago I was reminded of how amazing it was for my husband (life was in his early 20's). We were 23, faithfully employed, living in our Taj Mahal. This was before children, so on weekends we slept until 10am, went for a walk, had brunch, took a nap and went out for dinner. That was our life. For years.

“This was high life, as good as it gets,” I told her.

“What are you talking about?” she said “At that time you were more worried, scared and probably depressed than you ever knew.”

In my head, today, I look back and think, “I must have been so happy then. Those were my best years.

But honestly, at that time I thought, “I can't wait for these years to be over.”

It made me think a lot about our past and our future. No one is set in stone!

Which past can you rewrite?

As the cliché goes, it's easier to connect the dots looking backward than forward.

Is there a story from your past about that moment that still sticks with you?

It might be a shame about what happened, but it might have worked out better for you.

Maybe it's nostalgia for a past life.

The past has already happened, but that doesn't mean it's set in stone!

Back to Sievers:

“You can change your history.

The actual events are a small part of this. Everything else is perspective, open to reinterpretation.

The past is never done. “

I'd love to know what story you tell yourself about the past, good or bad, that you decide to rewrite?

– Steve

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