Tag Archives: overconcentrating on the past

Chew well, swallow, and take a new bite

TO MARY WILLIS SHELBURNE: On being overconcerned about the past of others and of our own.

5 June 1961

We must beware of the Past, mustn’t we? I mean that any fixing of the mind on old evils beyond what is absolutely necessary for repenting our own sins and forgiving those of others is certainly useless and usually bad for us. Notice in Dante that the lost souls are entirely concerned with their past. Not so the saved. This is one of the dangers of being, like you and me, old. There’s so much past, now, isn’t there? And so little else. But we must try very hard not to keep on endlessly chewing the cud. We must look forward more eagerly to sloughing that old skin off forever—metaphors getting a bit mixed here, but you know what I mean.
(From The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume III)

I like phrase Lewis uses: “But we must try very hard not to keep on endlessly chewing the cud.” Our moms taught us to “chew well” but after so much chewing it is time to swallow and taste something new. So it is with dwelling on the past. Lewis is not saying to forget everything that is past. He IS saying to let go of past sins and regrets. Once confessed, it is needless and reckless to continue dwelling on them. I think he is also saying to stop dwelling on the past…even the “good ole days.” Why? Because there is more life to live today.

I think with severe illnesses there is a tendency to “chew the cud” a bit on old memories but even when you think the end is more near than far away, there should be a strong pull to face forward in our thoughts, to live today well with anticipation of a bright tomorrow, and to contribute toward the well-being of others when possible.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8