The Passing of the Old

I have recently heard of a building where I used to live that is now being demolished.  This morning i saw on Facebook photos of the demolition in progress.  It is the Boy's Club and a place where many people have received excellent encouragement while growing up.  Alan Shearer (the one-time Newcastle United footballer for any who may not know who he is!) is one who comes to mind.  It's where my younger son used to go for Judo classes.  They used to hold many different activities for young boys in order to give them something positive and healthy to do and thus keep them off the streets and avoiding bad company that may lead them into bad habits.

Demolition of the Boy's Club, Wallsend

It is sad to see such photos especially when they bring such good memories to mind.  But there is a point when old things need to go in order to bring about something new.  We seem to want to keep patching up but the time comes when it is no longer possible (or desirable on occasions) to achieve this.  O how we keep wanting to hang on to something tangible of those precious memories!

Letting go is not the same as forgetting.  Let’s be clear that they are not the same thing. It is good to remember the things of the past that have been helpful but we need to be brave and take the step into something new when the time comes to leave the old.  There are times when we cannot totally commit to what is waiting in the future if we don't let go of the past.  I am so grateful for the past memories I have of helpful things, people and situations and I thank God for them.  They are things that have shaped my life and made me the person I am today but tomorrow is a new day and maybe I need to lay down some things of the past in order to fully enjoy and make the most of what the future holds.