A strange kind of pseudo-nostalgia comes over me every now and then. I don't know where it comes from; my best guess is that it comes from the optimistic parts of my mind. It makes me think about what could have been. That is not to say I have regrets, but sometimes life sparks a little "what if" in me. What if I did things differently? What if I had done more or less? What if things had been easier for me? I don't have the answers to these questions, and no one else does either. Some say that such thoughts are not productive, but I disagree. I think thinking about the past, if done right, can lead to a better future. And even though my journey is still fairly new, I still wouldn't trade it for another. The infinite Galton board that dragged me through the tough times and led me here also gave me resilience and hope. I wouldn't want it any other way.

To free yourself from the past means to free your heart from the walls you've built around it. It means to show the world who you really are by showing them your heart. That is scary. When you do that, sometimes some people will laugh, or do much worse. However, I've come around to thinking that it is a worthwhile risk. Only when you show your heart can you truly see the world, and the world can see you. When that happens, you'll find that you aren't so different from other people, and they aren't so different from you.