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The Good Old Days

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My wife’s cousin died recently at the tragically young age of 27 from a rare form of cancer. It was, of course, a sad day this past Monday as friends and family gathered for her funeral.

But in sadness, there is joy. Yes, she will be missed but death is, of course, a part of life and while we don’t get to choose the circumstances of our death, we can find some peace in the comfort that comes from gathering following a death.

I hate funerals. But I do understand their importance. It offers a sense of closure and reflection. It was during the post-funeral reflection that we had a chance to share time together and share memories. We often look back at years gone by and call them the “good old days.” And that’s fine, but it’s also a lie.

There are no good old days. There are good days and there are bad days. There are old days and each morning there are new days. It’s important to remember them both. What’s the best day of your life? What about the worst day? Those might be easy to recall. But what about all the days in between? There’s no reason to think the past was any better or worse than today because it all matters and it all makes us who we are.

It might sound dumb, but there’s a line from the animated movie “Kung Fu Panda” that says, “The past is history.

The future is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why it is called ‘the present.’” Goofy, but poignant.

And don’t stop to enjoy life’s little moments. Remeber these words from Ed Helms’ character Andy from “The Office”: “I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you actually left them.”

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