I have known people who dwell too much on the past, on the way things were. When their concentration should be on now and what is changing and how best to use the new technology to their advantage. Why, because looking back can cause us to trip over things in front. There are those who still track and file their family history using paper forms and records systems that are so time consuming and they are allowing precious time to pass them by.
The Family Tree program is substantially different than it was when it was first introduced. It is being changed and improved upon every single day. There are literally hundreds of technicians constantly tweaking the system. If you keep focusing on what you knew about Family history yesterday, you lose the opportunity to grow and learn today. There are private companies continually developing supplemental software that hastens the work and the accuracy of the records we work with every day.
‘Looking back too long’ and hard has a place, and that place is in writing your personal and family histories—an assignment that the prophets and leaders of the church have been encouraging since the very outset. Research has shown that young people who have a knowledge of their family history are more stable, and they are better students. So, Yes, That is an important reason to look back but when it comes to modern day research the system is designed to keep us driving forward.
There are times, I admit, that we have to look back in order to move forward. I enjoyed a story I read the other day about going backwards in order to move forward, to end up where we wanted to be.
“One winter morning , an employee explained why he had shown up for work 45 minutes late. “It was so slippery out that for every step I took ahead, I slipped back two.” The boss eyed him suspiciously. Oh yeah? Then how did you ever get here?” “I finally gave up and started for home.”
It is not unusual to become aware of persons who live in the past, they are always talking about remembering when they did this or that and what a sweet memory it was. They could describe in detail who did what and why and, yes it often becomes boring to a listener who has their mind on the present. All the while their, ‘here and now,’ life is flying by. Those are the kind of folks that would make great historians. At least, if they had the ability to write and describe the events of the past whether they happened to have lived in them or not and whether they could describe and portray the events in a colorful and interesting way. As we all get older, retire from our work, are no longer actively involved in the normal day to day activities. We become lonely and the only bragging we can do is about what we did. That, of course leaves us with few listeners or at least few regular listeners of those persons who still have things to do, places to go and people to see. That has always been one of my favorite escape sentences. I have played handball for over 55 years now and often my fellow players try to urge me to stay and play ‘one more game.’ My standard reply is that, “I can’t, because I have places to go, people to see and things to do.” Usually, as soon as I start that routine, they will mock me and say, “Yes we know! “You have places to go, people to see, and things to do.” For the most part that had always been true, as an administrator at a local university until I retired. Then, as the director of the local FamilySearch Library until I was eighty-one years old, I have always been a busy person with places to go, people to see, and things to do.
Looking back has its place and its value, but when we look back too long and too often it usually means that we have nothing better to do. At the same time it becomes harder and harder to find people who have nothing better to do then to listen to us. Because most people have places, people and things. They can’t be bothered with old folks who only have the past. Those who have neither places, people nor things. Those who look back too long and too ‘longingly.’ God bless those who take a few minutes to listen to that longing, you never know, maybe something can be learned. In fact it may be you one day, so rather than bend a reluctant person’s ear, sit down and start writing your history for your families enjoyment. The Dali Lama said to “Live a good life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.”