Yesteryears
Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Ecclesiastes 7:10 NKJV
God created existence on a linear timeline that operates in a forward motion. A human cannot repeat a segment of time, nor can he stop time. If time repeats or stops, then life experiences will cease to exist. There is one surety about life that this existence will continue with you or without you. Even death cannot stop the linear motion that God enacted. HE created this existence to move forward on a continuous motion of physic known as rectilinear kinematics. Rectilinear kinematics is a one-dimensional motion along a straight line that you can describe mathematically in one spatial dimension rather than three dimensions (3-D).
King Solomon, who Biblical scholars identify as the writer for many of maxim recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes, is on a quest to discover the true meaning of life. This quest enabled him to record this maxim for my analysis: Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not inquire wisely concerning this. (Ecclesiastes 7:10 NKJV) What is the truism for this maxim? I believe that this maxim reminds the reader where to place your focus. Often, when a significant experience occurs in your life, whether negative or positive, you will desire to repeat that experience to have either a different outcome or enjoy the same experience again. Without a linear motion, the progression toward God's ultimate goal will never materialize because we as humans will delay the progression for selfish experiences.
For this reason alone, this maxim prohibits one from saying that his past is better than the future. Because when one looks to the past, his focus becomes limited to that exclusive experience while inhibiting the ability to forge new initiatives and incentives for a better tomorrow. When explaining the cost of doing Kingdom work, the Savior stated, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62 NKJV) You cannot move forward toward advancement if your perception is backward.
The intent of moving any object is always forward and never backward. Even a vehicle, when moving backward, uses one speed because the intent is to move backward a short distance for the sole purpose of moving forward again. Therefore, wisdom gives you the liberty to move forward while alleviating any opportunity of thinking that you are lesser because of your experience. Moving forward produces opportunities to excel again and again. Yet, we often envision vicarious nostalgia, which is a feeling of longing for an experience that likely did not happen as you perceived. For instance, I long to repeat a basketball game, of which I scored 35 points, including the game-winning basket, which makes me feel nostalgic. Yet, the event may have occurred differently in the opponent's eyes while spoiling my outcome with a different narrative. Remember, the rationale for the book of Ecclesiastes was to find the meaning of life instead of comparing life outcomes. Therefore, Solomon reminds his reader to stop inquiring about the good old days leading to nostalgic tendencies because wise individuals prepare for their future instead of comparing the past.
Where are the good old days?" Wise folks don't ask questions like that.
Ecclesiastics 7:10
This global pandemic enabled us to realize the fragile connection that exists in God-created life. A simple flu-like virus in one country can wreak havoc around the globe. Therefore, I remind you to recollect the memories before the pandemic to grasp the global change needed for the future. In other words, refrain from visiting the yesteryear before the pandemic but focus on your tomorrow for today. So you can advance to another level in God's kingdom.