Never Go Back
I emigrate tomorrow. It's been a two year long haul and a struggle on many fronts - not least trying to sell our family home as the credit crunch really took hold.
Are we doing the right thing? Suddenly everyone is giving me advice, wanting to see me before I go, telling me I am being rash, struggling to understand how we can give up on Blighty, asking me if I have done this, checked that, made sure of the next thing.....
People ask if I have gone on sentimental visits to look at the house I sold in July, looked at my old school, said goodbye to all and sundry. I have done some of these things and yet I do not see the point. I heard a poem on BBC Radio 4 recently which struck a chord. It's by Felix Dennis.
Never go back. Never go back.
Never return to the haunts of your youth.
Keep to the track, to the beaten track,
Memory holds all you need of the truth.
Never look back. Never look back.
Never succumb to the gorgon's stare.
Keep to the track, to the beaten track,
No-one is waiting and nothing is there.
Never go back. Never go back.
Never surrender the future you've earned.
Keep to the track, to the beaten track,
Never return to the bridges you burned.
Never look back. Never look back.
Never retreat to the 'glorious past'.
Keep to the track, to the beaten track,
Treat every day of your life as your last.
Never go back. Never go back.
Never acknowledge the ghost on the stair.
Keep to the track, to the beaten track,
No-one is waiting and nothing is there.
This struck me as highly pertinent. It's so true. One can't keep
looking back. Life moves on and memories are deceptive. I must
remember that as I set out on my new life.
My next posting will be written in the USA.
HelloAmericans
2 Comments
Reader Comments (2)
Just wanted to wish you a safe journey.
We're in the throws of trying to make such a major decision, but having a teenager and a 'tweenager'and family commitments it's very diffcutlt. The thoughts of possibly the last times you'll be in a place or see things are a real are struggle and we haven't decided yet! So my thoughts are most defiantely with you.
Thanks for your musings so far and look forward to hearing about your onward journey.
God bless.
Congratulations on leaving and I love the poem,I will print it off and quote it to others. Thanks.
We landed in Canada on Nov 5th 2005 and althought the experience is full of trials and tribulations stay true and you will succeed. For information on our journey through the last three years check out my blog http://britishexpats.com/blogs/WhelbournsNB/ (especially the 'lessons learned' enteries in the archive 30th November 2006 and Sunday 25 November 2007)
Good luck and look forward to the new future, make it yours!