be a goldfish
What’s one moment from your past that holds you back? What would you need to do to let go of it? If you can’t think of one, how might you help someone else let go of theirs?
Psalm 25:7
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
I’m a fan of Ted Lasso. And, while the science of goldfish memory is fluid, the meaning of the statement hits home.
I’m constantly comparing the me that was with the me that is so that I can be the me I’m called to be. Only, there are times when I get dragged back into past transgressions and it’s hard to get out.
It’s paralyzing at times. My ability to look forward and dream is equally matched by my ability to backward with disgust.
Things I’ve said, things I’ve done, they’re haunting at times. The hardest thing to do is to put those moments side by side with the idea that I was loveable.
I wonder how much of a head start I’d have if I’d only understood myself as loveable back then. Church certainly didn’t give me a sense that was possible. I was lucky to have a loving family.
Yet, it was always easier to see the faults. If only I’d known that being a goldfish was an option.
What’s one moment from your past that holds you back? What would you need to do to let go of it? If you can’t think of one, how might you help someone else let go of theirs?
—Jason Whitehead