The view from behind

A while ago I did one of those Facebook things, something about a motto for life. The answer I was given said essentially I should drop the past, forget it and move on, looking forward. Had I been 20ish, I might not have thought so much about it. 
Of course I shouldn't take that kind of thing literally; it has however given me something to consider that has to be written out loud now.

My concern when that was said was that I was engaged in looking back. First as I begin to consider planning in advance for retirement there's what has work been about and what options are there for the future. Then via a closed group on Facebook (last mention) of friends who went to Southfields School in SW London the idea of a reunion grew into a reality that happened on the 13th May, just gone. If that's not looking back I'm not sure what is. 
Alongside that the fabulous #twitterdisco held once a month has helped me rediscover music and its associated memories. Yes, flared trousers, longish hair and collars and lapels that needed wide load warnings; standing on platform shoes nervously wondering if a girl would like a dance, if only I could attract one away from the lure of the handbag mound mid-floor.

Then there has been my consideration of my performance at work driven partly through the benefit of excellent coaching over the last few months. This led to looking backwards at how I've performed in the past, digging out evidence of 360 degree feedback and repeating the exercise. So there's been lots of ‘rear view mirror’ work.
For me the benefit of ignoring the ‘forget the past, live for now and look forward’ would be to miss out rich sources of information that can help the future.

So when retirement comes I'll have what I've enjoyed doing recreationally to fall back on as well as new things to learn. Friendships that have endured since school will still exist as we plan road trips and travel to see those across the globe. The writing and drawing that sustained me in school are becoming more important now. My love of listening to music will remain strong and be a source of relaxation and inspiration. More immediate is the feedback I've been given in the last week. It shows a lot of reassuring positives as well as identifying things to work on. Even the worst times of early schooling, pre Southfields, have an importance in showing how good the now and future look.
For me then, without looking back I'd have a poorer future, and certainly a very dull present. I therefore recommend looking back on occasion, you may see something afresh just as useful as what's in front of you.