Starting Fresh

Starting Fresh

MATTHEW RAYNOR

NOV 14, 2024

Life forgets, because starting fresh is important. It might sound a bit abstract, but hear me out—it's the theme of death and rebirth. I see it in so many parts of life. For example, think about how every spring, plants regrow, and flowers bloom—a wonderful thing to witness. But it only happens after a period of death; in the fall, everything dies, turns grey, and freezes. Think about how our memory works—we forget, we re-learn, and through that process, we often discover a new, better way of doing things. If you look deeper, when we die, it might feel like all is forgotten. But life begins anew in our children, in the echoes of our actions. One thing fades, and another rises. As something ends, something new begins.

I carry a mental image that brings me comfort, one I use as a metaphor for many things in life. Down by Rd I in Hampton Bays, I sit on the sand, soaking in the sun. I watch the waves rise, spill over, then retreat, sinking into the sand and disappearing. But just as one wave fades away, another rises behind it, pushing onto the shore. As one thing disappears, something new is always there to replace it.

What I’m trying to say is that it’s important not to punish ourselves for forgetting or letting go. Forgetting gives us the chance to see something with new eyes. Though it might seem like ideas, people, places, and moments fade, they never truly disappear. Just like a cherished family tradition—like making your grandmother's favorite dish every holiday—or a memorable quote from a loved one that continues to inspire us, the essence of these things lives on. When someone passes, they live on through their children and the ripples of their choices—the echoes they leave in the pond of life. It’s important not to get caught up in the past and let it block you from seeing the future that’s waiting for you.

I thought about all this today because I was facing one of those big problems—you know, the ones that loom so large, you just can’t seem to get around them. It felt impossible, like it was never going to happen. I had poured so much time and effort into solving it, and nothing seemed to work.

Then, I had a thought: maybe I needed to let my preconceptions die—let go of my ego, let go of how I wanted things to go, how I believed they should work out. I had to see the problem with fresh eyes—fearless and willing to try something new. And it worked. I let go of what wasn’t serving me, and something new took root—more aligned with the solution I was seeking.

I invite you to reflect: are there ideas that are no longer serving you? Are there beliefs you could let go of? Do you feel a need to reorient yourself? Don’t be afraid to do some mental housecleaning—get rid of the old things holding you back and make room for something new, something bright and full of possibility.