We all carry strands of our ancestors’ DNA the very code in which our lives are built. In my case I look, sound, and often act like my old man. I also carry with me some of the illnesses which my father and his family carried, such as obesity, heart trouble, and diabetes. But unlike my old man I’ve actively sort consistent treatment for such problems. Resulting in me having outlived him by two years so far. I charted out a good chuck of my life by the mile markers my father laid out. But for the past few years I’ve been forward in uncharted territory. With neither a road sign nor a mile marker to guide me.
Many of us live in the shadow of the goodness that stood before us. My dad despite his flaws was a good man and a great provider. I on the other hand have lived under a self-made shadow that I could never measuring up. I’ve documented more times then a wish to count the inadequacies and guilt I have carried. But through mindfulness and forgiveness I am slowly overcoming those thoughts. So what I’m trying to say is, ghosts from the past can be guides, but they can also be hindrances to our potential . It’s up to us to draw from the past and then create your own stories.