“Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.”—Ecclesiastes 7:10
Mimi and Poppa, grandparents of Breanna, age 12, were excited about her extended visit during summer break. Before her arrival, they began planning activities. One idea important to Poppa was to visit his childhood hometown.
On the appointed day, he became a tour guide. As they drove around town, they pointed out several places—his home, where he & his friends would play, his school, and church. Poppa even attempted to retrace the steps of his after-school newspaper route, his first paying job.
Of course, many things had changed since the culture of Poppa’s youth. Once Poppa got on a roll about how things were different now than in the “good ol’ days,” it seemed to Breanna that he would never stop.
“Poppa,” Breanna finally said, “Do you realize that if you actually could go back to your version of the good ol’ days that your life would not include me? I wasn’t born yet. You weren’t married to Mimi either. Are you sure that the good ol’ days were all that great?” Her questions caused Poppa to pause and think.
Thinking back upon one’s own life can provide moments of comfort and reconnection to important people and places from the past. However, longing to go back and relive it dismisses the value of current relationships and the gifts of the present.
Nostalgic descriptions of the past tend to be selective, subjective, and inaccurate. A quote attributed by Peter DeVries describes that tendency: “Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be”.
In the Old Testament book of Exodus, one may read about the long journey of liberation of the Israelites from Egypt, a significant transition in their lives. They were led by Moses out of the place where they had become slaves and unable to
worship their God. But once physical hunger, thirst, and fatigue set in, their mindset was affected. Complaints commenced. They wanted to return to Egypt. Somehow that seemed better (the good ol’ days) than their current circumstances (the present). Fortunately, God continued to love and care for them, providing what they needed as they needed it.
When we find ourselves uneasy with change and uncertainty, a type of spiritual hunger, thirst, and fatigue can overtake us. Desiring to escape the present and resist the future, we may begin to think like the Israelites. We may wish to return to a time when—as we remember it—we knew what to expect.
Although drawing from the experiences of the past can be instructive, focusing too much upon it may lead some to disregard the importance of the present and to present in it. Perhaps that is a reason the teacher in Ecclesiastes taught that it is unwise to ask, “Why were the former days better than these?” Whether filled with joys or challenges, or more likely a mix of both, each day in which the Holy Spirit breathes within us is a significant day—a day important enough for God to grant, and a day worthy of some measure of gratitude.
The writer is the pastor of Sidney First Presbyterian Church.
