Objects in the Rearview Mirror May Appear Closer Then They Are

Meat Loaf sings a song called that. I remember when it came out. I owned the single on tape. I loved it. The gist of the song is about a buddy of who dies, a father who abuses, and a woman who uses the singer. While no one died, my father didn't abuse me, and I wasn't used by a woman, I relate to the chorus of the song. Each verse ends with the person from the past reappearing in their thoughts. He can see "her rising out of the backseat now like an angel rising up from the tomb."

"But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are"

I have had a hell of a week. Last weekend past in a blur of good friends, good margaritas, and good times. In the mist of these good times, my past thoughts and feelings resurfaced like they happened yesterday. Now my normal inclination is to wallow in these feelings. Play all the old sad songs, sit on the patio in my Mickey Mouse Pjs and relive those moments.

But as I reflect on the past week, I need to remember that those feelings and memories are my objects in the rearview mirror. When I look into it, they appear closer and more real then they are. In the great words of Casey, "I'm going to need you to get over that." She's right. If I spend too much time looking into the rearview mirror, I'll miss the view out the windshield.

And based on last weekend, the view out the front is so much better.