Ghosts

Shakespeare was right when he said, “All the world's a stage. And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances.” I wonder though, even after the curtain closes and the stage has gone dark, are the people who once played a part in our life ever truly gone? They may exit left but are they forever waiting backstage? Will they always have reserved front row seats? We may not be in touch with them; we may never actually see them again, but are they still with us? Do we keep them alive in our hearts and in our memories and in that way, never truly let them go?

And if so, what will it take to set them free, to set ourselves free? Do certain people stay with us, despite a current relationship, because the relationship is lacking closure? Despite years of disconnect is it still left undone? And if we could, would we reconnect with people who were once an important part of our life? Would we clear up regrets from the past? Would we bless one another with the gift of forgiveness? What if we were freer to move into our present relationships, with greater authenticity and courage and vulnerability, because we finally found closure from past relationships and past wounds.

Perhaps there is a reason why certain people keep coming to mind and relentlessly haunt us. We can't know for sure why this is until we move deeper into these relationships. This may or may not involve actually contacting them. Perhaps the work that needs to be done is within yourself - finding closure for yourself. And if you do choose to be in touch with someone from your past, what is your motivation? What are your hopes and expectations? Life is not written by a script and we can't direct another person's response. But we can do our part, to say I'm sorry, or thank you, or I forgive you. We can't

change our past. Scenes from our past are over and can't be undone. But they are not forgotten and can affect how we are relating to the people in our life today. We can move towards closure and healing and freedom for our future by inviting those "ghosts" back on stage, front and center. For we are never truly alone when we are on stage.