Return to Yesteryear

REMEMBERING the past is an activity most of us deliberately engage in from time to time. Memory is a wonderful thing! It allows us to think back to days gone by, to re-play in our minds many happy experiences, and to recall some of the sad times in our lives as well. Bringing back images to our mind's eye of earlier days - including those of our childhood - is usually a pleasant exercise, and one that often produces a natural smile.

Even better than the thought process described above, is the actual return to some of the places of our past. For some, going back to these locations, retracing the steps of younger days, or seeing old haunts is not possible because of one reason or another. However, many have discovered that a return to yesteryear is indeed a delightful leisure experience.

Consider these possibilities: finding the place of your birth; locating a house where you once lived; re-visiting a school that you attended; returning to the spot where you played ball as a kid; worshiping in a church where you and your parents were once members; seeing again an old barn that stood on your uncle's farm; driving down a country road to where your grandparents lived; or going back to a high school reunion. If pursued, one or more of these ideas - or others like them - can become an enjoyable trek down memory lane!

We often feel confident that taking trips to new places will give us a good time. Perhaps we need to consider the notion that a trip to old places (or places in our past) just might bring us great joy and also provide us with a feeling of time well spent. A journey into our past, and a return to yesteryear, is a worthy option when we ponder our next free-time adventure!