From the moment we enter
Until the moment we are gone
Our life is like a runway
It’s journey we are on.
Propelled in our movement
What is in front our eyes see
We are constantly progressing
From point A to point B.
Are we propelled and pushed onward?
Or does our chosen movement lead the way?
Perhaps that answer
Depends on the day.
Our glance gazes forward
The natural state of our being
When our glance gazes forward
Is it only what lies ahead that we see?
To the left and to the right
Our peripherals may catch
Seen in a glimpse
For a moment, our eyes may grasp.
Our focus is then shifted
Our heads turned a new way
Now our fears may begin chattering
This was not the expectation for today.
Should we question our decision?
Our temporary diversion from the path
Is the journey now halted?
Because we did stop and look back?
If moving forward is life
Continuing along our way
Are we ever granted space
To find meaning throughout our days?
To halt the trajectory
The journey that we are on
To shift our gaze backward
To review the places where we have gone
To reflect upon what we have come from
To pull lessons from our past
To stop our forward movement
To simply stop and look back.
As I have progressed in this life
As I have lived in my days
I have now become curious
And nothing short of amazed
I am tempted to step forward
To take this movement consistently
As there is abundant pressure
That is felt around me.
Pressure to reach new levels
New accomplishments
New heights.
Though it is in the moments of pause
When lessons have flooded in through the light.
When I have halted the footpath.
When one foot in front of the other is no more
When I have actively chosen
To stop in my tracks
And turn to look back.
Some days I missed small things.
A cute cafe.
A sign on a door.
Some days I am humbled
Internally amazed
By the pieces that I did not intake
With my perpetual forward gaze.
As my head turns over yonder
An impeccable sight is now seen.
Things once overlooked
Now abundant to me.
There are new moments of appreciation
New thoughts in my mind.
All it took was an inkling
Then an intentional shift in my sight.
To be here, in this moment
Where I am taking more of my journey in
Life seems to be fuller,
There is an added ounce of felt bliss.
For if I keep going,
If my pace has no halt.
If my eyes gaze only forward,
Will I only live by default?
Though we may be told to do differently.
Though scary it can be.
There may be lessons and learning
If we take this approach, intentionally.
For what if where we are headed
Is not where we desire to be?
What if where we are headed
Aligns only with the past version of the?
Yet today we are different.
Our desires now do not match.
Do we risk losing this insight?
Do we risk succumbing to the path
If we do not build in the moment
To stop and look back?
A note from Melanie Jane
I have striven to incorporate this practice daily. To pause my forward movement and shift my gaze back. The photos shared have been taken in the moments of the look back. I am grateful for the perspective I have gained through this practice. I hope you enjoy these images as much as I do 🤍
