Letting Go of The Past

Human “…epidermis, or surface layer of the skin, is recycled every two weeks or so. The reason for the quick replacement is that "This is the body's [plastic] wrap, and it can be easily damaged by scratching, solvents, wear and tear," says Elaine Fuchs, an expert on the skin's stem cells at Rockefeller University…; [an] adult human liver probably has a turnover time of 300 to 500 days, says Markus Grompe, an expert on the liver's stem cells at the Oregon Health & Science University…; [the ]entire human skeleton is thought to be replaced every 10 years or so in adults, as twin construction crews of bone-dissolving and bone-rebuilding cells combine to remodel it” (https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/science/your-body-is-younger-than-you-think.html).

Today, we are physically not the same person we had been before our cells regenerate. Why does our past haunt us? If our cells let go of their past selves, why do we hang on to our past? When Elsa, the powerful character from Disney’s Frozen, sings her anthem, “Let It Go," we all cheer her battle cry for independence, from her letting go of her past. Some of us need to sing that song.

Whatever we hang on to will come looking for us, haunting us, reminding us. If we hang on to the hurts, the traumas, the disappointments, even the glory days, we don’t grow and evolve like our cells. Of course, for deep, profound emotional and physical traumas, professional assistance is needed. *

We all have sweet memories from the past and they are delightful to visit from time to time; still, for other issues, letting go of the past, brings us back to the present moment. Living in the past and living for the future are attachments to the ego and distractions to the here and now. When we live in the moment, our troubled past has little pull on us and our future isn’t set yet. Letting go of the past frees us up to enjoy today. If the past comes looking for you, tell it you have moved on.

* If you struggle with severe emotional and physical trauma from your past, please see a mental health professional.