How You're Remembered
It's the story of all of our lives. When one chapter ends, another begins ... but ... the ones left behind in the last chapter, will always remember you the way you were.
Case in point. My early days of Radio work and being a DJ on the air was great fun at times, and not so great at times. During the not so great times there was conflict, attitude, back-talking, and general negativity. If I were to exit at that time and move on to another station, I would be remembered for the asshole that I was.
During the times of fun, there were excellent broadcasting adventures, cooperation, respect, and mutual compassion and professionalism. If I were to exit at that time and move on to another station, I would be remembered for the awesome guy that I was.
Now, many years have passed, and I am no longer any of those guys. I have moved on, matured, become enlightened to the way things are in the world. I am clearly NOT the same person, and in my opinion, I am a much better person now than I ever was. But how do we let the people we left behind know this? Most times, we can't. So we just let it be.
It's a safe bet that when you run across someone that you haven't seen in years, that they have changed. Hopefully, for the positive and for the better. We should always give people the benefit of the doubt, no matter what we remember of their old self and their old ways. Sometimes, we might just be surprised.
Today, I am friends with people who actually fired me. Funny thing is, I probably deserved it back then. I was a different person than I am now. But it was just part of this experience called life. So to the past ... I revert to the short version of the famous Ho'oponopono Prayer: "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you." Peace and namaste.
Just a thought ...
Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.
