The past, the present, the future...

I may have already said this, but I am very platonic in my views of life; let me explain. Plato believed that we are the sum total of all of our experiences. In other words, we are who we are because of all that has happened to us, for us, with us, etc. I believe that all of that experience is wasted if we don't stop and review, reminisce, and recall our lives, our memories, our hopes and dreams, and all the other things that make life what it is, and make us what we are.

I don't necessarily think that we should focus on bad, or unpleasant memories, even though they are a part of our lives and are part of who we are, I think it is important to look back so that we can understand ourselves.

I lived in England for a couple of years and that experience has left an indelible imprint on me. In some ways, I am still trying to figure out how. I often feel the need to validate that experience. Why? You ask. We all need validation, even if it is internal. My being in England was and is something that changed my life. However, it appears that I am the only one who seems to recognize the magnitude of that experience, and that is alright. I have come to realize that the only way this experience will probably receive the kind of validation that I feel I need is to write about it. So, I have decided to write about my experiences in England. Will it work? I think so. Someday, I may realize that it doesn't matter if anyone but me cares about my experiences, but that will be okay. In the end this is all just for me. Even though I feel it is important to touch other's lives for good, and we all have something to share, it is important to remember that unless we can see our lives, and know our lives clearly we may not be able to do for others and for ourselves all that could be done. So look back, reflect on who you are, what you stand for, and why you are here, and know that there is good in the world, and part of that good is you. Socrates stated at his trial that the unexamined life is not worth living, and I am convinced this former student of Plato had it right.