Morning Quickie: That Old Thing Back

Let's be clear from jump: I do not want that old thing back! That old thing wants me. *giggling at myself*

I was thinking about how exes pop up from time to time... often at the most inconvenient times. For me, I can count on at least one blast from the past popping up at two points: when I'm in a brand new relationship and when that relationship starts to get rocky. That first time it's easy to rebuff their advances, because it's all "Whatever dude, I gotta man, I don't want you! You coulda had aaaaaalllllladis," (complete with hand gestures). After all, that's the stage where everything is new and exciting; who wants old what's-his-face with all his issues? But then when things aren't so great, it's easy to slip into those thoughts like "well we did used to have fun together," "it was nice having my bills paid," and "would it be so bad to give it another try?" That can lead to making the same old mistake over again.

Often the past seems so much better than it actually was. We play games with ourselves, allowing selective memory to paint a distorted picture instead of the reality of what was. And that's not just with relationships. It happens with old jobs we left to pursue our dream careers, hometowns we moved away from, habits that we've given up. We could surely find something to look back on and say "Man, why did I walk away from that? That was the life!" But we have to remember that there is a reason that we've moved on from those things (or people). Whether it is because that situation was detrimental to us, there was a better opportunity out there, or simply because we outgrew that scene, it is no mistake that it is in the past.

This isn't to say that there should never be a second chance for certain things. Rather, it's an admonition to seriously think about what went wrong in the first place. Then, weigh your options before making a decision. Don't simply take that old thing back because things aren't going as planned with the new thing.

Why is it that the good times seem great when looking back on them?