Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this – Ecclesiastes 7:10
Despite staring at his laptop for nearly an hour, Melvin had yet to come up with an idea for the writing assignment due on Monday for his behavioral science course. Feeling frustrated, he decides to self-soothe with a frosty from McDonald’s, hoping it will ignite a theory for why some people choose not to live life to its fullest.
Melvin’s quiet meditation was soon interrupted by the arrival of three seniors, two women and one man, who chose a booth across from him. Their loud voices made it impossible for Melvin not to overhear their lively conversation about people and things from their past, with each one sharing fond memories. However, it was when one of them asked, “What’s new?” that their voices grew silent and their meals became the focus of attention.
If the only things worth talking about are the things that are no longer—your past—then you’ll never recognize and enjoy what’s in your present. This was Melvin’s summation for an essay titled “Rearview Mirrors.”