Nostalgia

AZ Jim

AZ Jim

R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
Location
SURPRISE, ARIZONA
It doesn't happen to me often (thankfully) but today it did. Reminiscing about my youth, my experiences then, people I loved, places that are now gone. When that happens, I often go to Google and seek out my footsteps of yesteryear, but more and more no trace exists now. I suppose if you grew up in a slow growth place you don't have the same problem but until I was 55 I live my whole life in Southern California and it was and is anything but slow growth which accelerated the loss of things once familiar and now totally strange. Anyone else have these flights of historical loss?
 

Yes, I reminisce alot and have conversations with my family remembering different places, buildings, etc. that no longer exist and what has replaced them. Reminiscing is excellent brain exercise Jim. I too, live in a high growth area so changes occur all the time. I think they call it progress. But it doesn't always feel that way. When I need some peace and stability, a walk in the woods is always so calming. That's one thing that never changes the same as civilization.
 
It brings to mind

Picture3.jpg

though I don't think looking back and feeling sad about loss is a bad thing, as long as you don't live in the past.

As I grow older and my peers and heroes die, and the world around me becomes a more alien place, I let these moods wash over me and as "chic" says, go for a walk in the woods or listen to music, and come back into the moment.
I do find living in the present moment quite difficult though, as my mind often takes me back into reminiscing or forward into planning something in the future.
 

merlin said:
It brings to mind

View attachment 16061

though I don't think looking back and feeling sad about loss is a bad thing, as long as you don't live in the past.

As I grow older and my peers and heroes die, and the world around me becomes a more alien place, I let these moods wash over me and as "chic" says, go for a walk in the woods or listen to music, and come back into the moment.
I do find living in the present moment quite difficult though, as my mind often takes me back into reminiscing or forward into planning something in the future.
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Yes. Mindfulness. Difficult to do but well worth trying. Our minds are always wanting to flit back to the past or worry about the future and it's a challenge to keep it in the present moment.
 
Where I live there is a lot of building going on. Often multiple blocks of houses or shops are giving way to large apartment complexes. I will drive past and find the buildings gone, the cranes in place for a new build, but I can't remember what used to be there....was it a pub, was it a petrol station, was it a house? People have got to go somewhere but I do find it sad to see lovely old houses being demolished.
I find now I am retired I have time to remember the past whereas as a working parent I never used to give it a thought!
 
Ameriscot said:
Yes. Mindfulness. Difficult to do but well worth trying. Our minds are always wanting to flit back to the past or worry about the future and it's a challenge to keep it in the present moment.
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Yes I have practiced Mindfulness on and off for some years, my eldest daughter is a psychiatric nurse and is very much into it.
My problem is always staying with these routines even though I know they work!
 
Last summer I met up with my old school buddy and we spent the day reminiscing about the old days in our town. He brought up many things I had forgotten and I did the same for him.

He mentioned things like sneaking into the old fairgrounds throught a hole in the fence to save money for other goodies like the rides. Another thing he mentioned was taking back bottles for the refunds so that we could earn money for admission, 14 cents, and extra for candy. :rolleyes:
 
Pappy said:
Last summer I met up with my old school buddy and we spent the day reminiscing about the old days in our town. He brought up many things I had forgotten and I did the same for him.

He mentioned things like sneaking into the old fairgrounds throught a hole in the fence to save money for other goodies like the rides. Another thing he mentioned was taking back bottles for the refunds so that we could earn money for admission, 14 cents, and extra for candy. :rolleyes:
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I collected bottles when I was a kid. A penny for small bottle, 5 cents for a big one. I prowled man an alley in those days.
 
AZ Jim said:
I guess I gave the impression I was sad at my nostalgia. I am not, just reflective.
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No, it's okay to think about the old days. It's just when our minds are constantly thinking about the past that it's not a good thing. Different from reminiscing about the old days. Love to get together with family or friends and talk about the old days.
 
merlin said:
Yes I have practiced Mindfulness on and off for some years, my eldest daughter is a psychiatric nurse and is very much into it.
My problem is always staying with these routines even though I know they work!
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Same here. I really struggle! Do you meditate?
 
I see nothing wrong with thinking about the past or the future for that matter. If it was a bad to think about the past why would we be able to do it and reflect on events. The study of history is the past and no one thinks there's anything wrong with that.

I sometimes reflect on situations I was in from the past and have insights about what in fact was going on that I didn't understand at the time.

I think that the trend towards NOW thinking, from books by Erkhart Tolle that were popular a few years ago have gone too far. I don't think it possible to be in the now at all times and to strive towards that goal is not reasonable. The mind is always thinking and moving -- that is the way it is. From what I understand watching the mind and identifying what you are thinking, e.g. I'm now thinking about the past, I'm now thinking about a problem, I'm now thinking about my pain, is more realistic and helpful, not feeling guilty about thinking about the past.

Your past experiences, both negative and positive are part of who you are, and I think it's time we embrace it, not try to deny it. That's not to say we should to get stuck in wallowing in the negative events of the past.
 
merlin said:
I do on and off, but find meditation even more difficult than mindfulness, my mind is so strong and rarely gives me any peace, but then again where would I be without it.......ga ga I guess ;)
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Merlin, have you tried the relaxation response which is very calming? While doing it, listen to peaceful music or sounds of nature. I have trouble with meditating too because my mind wanders. Music and sound give my brain something to concentrate on while meditating.
 
Cookie said:
I see nothing wrong with thinking about the past or the future for that matter. If it was a bad to think about the past why would we be able to do it and reflect on events. The study of history is the past and no one thinks there's anything wrong with that.

I sometimes reflect on situations I was in from the past and have insights about what in fact was going on that I didn't understand at the time.

I think that the trend towards NOW thinking, from books by Erkhart Tolle that were popular a few years ago have gone too far. I don't think it possible to be in the now at all times and to strive towards that goal is not reasonable. The mind is always thinking and moving -- that is the way it is. From what I understand watching the mind and identifying what you are thinking, e.g. I'm now thinking about the past, I'm now thinking about a problem, I'm now thinking about my pain, is more realistic and helpful, not feeling guilty about thinking about the past.

Your past experiences, both negative and positive are part of who you are, and I think it's time we embrace it, not try to deny it. That's not to say we should to get stuck in wallowing in the negative events of the past.
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Yes I totally agree Cookie, but I guess what I mean is my mind interferes with the experience of the present moment, for instance if I am on holiday/vacation, I may be in some wonderful paradisiacal place, but unable to fully enjoy it, because my mind is planning the next place to visit or the next holiday, or what will I do when I get home. I love going over old times with friends and planning future holidays with my partner. Its just that my mind rarely lets me enjoy or be in the NOW.
 
chic said:
Merlin, have you tried the relaxation response which is very calming? While doing it, listen to peaceful music or sounds of nature. I have trouble with meditating too because my mind wanders. Music and sound give my brain something to concentrate on while meditating.
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Yes chic I have often used music by myself and in group meditation, I then immediately fall asleep, my body seems to default to sleep if my mind is not fully occupied. My mother told me that often while a toddler waiting for a bus, she would feel a weight on her arm, and discover I was asleep standing by her side ;)

I will look up the relaxation response as I am not familiar with it, but I would probably end up asleep doing it, which is ok I guess.
 
I grew up in a small town at the center of a farming community. Yes, the rate of change is slower but there is definitely change. They tore down the elementary school I attended and made the high school into a nursing home. I toured the nursing home and found it very weird to stand in the center of a studio apartment which had once been my biology class. I usually go back there (Pa.) in October as that's the most beautiful time of year. Talk about nostalgia - I am overcome with waves of it walking among the maple trees with colorful falling leaves, smelling the distinctive aromas of Autumn and remembering my childhood. We would rake up the leaves into huge piles, then take a running leap into them. Then as evening approached, we would rake the pile of leaves over to the gutter of the small street we lived on. All the parents would come out and they'd light the leaves on fire. We'd roast hot dogs and/or marshmellows. Of course, this wouldn't happen now for fear the fire would get out of hand. But we have our memories . . .
 
Cookie said:
I see nothing wrong with thinking about the past or the future for that matter. If it was a bad to think about the past why would we be able to do it and reflect on events. The study of history is the past and no one thinks there's anything wrong with that.

I sometimes reflect on situations I was in from the past and have insights about what in fact was going on that I didn't understand at the time.

I think that the trend towards NOW thinking, from books by Erkhart Tolle that were popular a few years ago have gone too far. I don't think it possible to be in the now at all times and to strive towards that goal is not reasonable. The mind is always thinking and moving -- that is the way it is. From what I understand watching the mind and identifying what you are thinking, e.g. I'm now thinking about the past, I'm now thinking about a problem, I'm now thinking about my pain, is more realistic and helpful, not feeling guilty about thinking about the past.

Your past experiences, both negative and positive are part of who you are, and I think it's time we embrace it, not try to deny it. That's not to say we should to get stuck in wallowing in the negative events of the past.
Click to expand...

The problem is when one's mind is constantly in the past or in the future and never in the present moment.
 
Yes, it must be very difficult to never have a present moment, but I am skeptical that this is the case. I have present moments all the time, in between the zillions of thoughts I have a day. I don't worry about it, just watch the breathe and the mind and relax and enjoy the peace.
 
Cookie said:
Yes, it must be very difficult to never have a present moment, but I am skeptical that this is the case. I have present moments all the time, in between the zillions of thoughts I have a day. I don't worry about it, just watch the breathe and the mind and relax and enjoy the peace.
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Yes I agree as I have these feelings of being in the past and planning the future, in the present moment, which is usually ok! I generally don't actually worry about it (except during say a classical concert or a play when my mind will wander off completely), and I do enjoy talking about it, which is I guess another mind preoccupation. :confused:
 
merlin said:
Yes I agree as I have these feelings of being in the past and planning the future, in the present moment, which is usually ok! I generally don't actually worry about it (except during say a classical concert or a play when my mind will wander off completely), and I do enjoy talking about it, which is I guess another mind preoccupation. :confused:
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Often when our minds are flitting here and there and back to the past it's some negative event. And when our minds flit to the future it's often worrying about what will happen, which does no good.

I did a day of mindfulness once when I had the house to myself all day and night. No radio, no music, no tv, no computer. I did mundane tasks slowly, only thinking about the task I was doing. I ate slowly and mindfully. Did mindful walking. And of course did meditation. When my mind wandered I brought it back to what I was doing. I did really well and found it very satisfying. I did give in late in the evening but watched a DVD featuring Thich Nhat Hanh, my favourite monk, so didn't feel like I was 'cheating'.
 
Yes yes! I feel that way and reminisce too much! I wish I had taken more photos long ago..
I look up old old friends on internet, usually useless. Women are hard to find if they are
now married, name changed. You may try city-data.com forums for n​ostalgia.

Just think, maybe ONE DAY you will reminisce about this year and the present.
 
Old photographs are so powerful for bringing back memories.... I need to be ready for some tears when I go through my big box of family photos and put into scrapbooks.
 

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