“Never look backwards or you’ll fall down the stairs.”
– Rudyard Kipling
I’m not sure of the context of this quote, but I like to think it’s a poetic instruction for life. Saying, in short, if you live in the past, you can’t move forward.
Today on a hike, I crossed paths with a guy who (many miles away, many years ago) hurt me deeply. Each of us was hiking alone. He was heading downhill, and I was heading up. I don’t think he recognized me under my hat and sunglasses, but I definitely recognized him.
After he passed me by, it felt great not to look backwards. It felt great not to fall down those metaphoric stairs.
What do Kipling’s words mean to you?
