"The Past is a Success"

A Bumper Sticker for Today's World

Today's philosophy lesson -

The issue of releasing the past has been a long, torturous philosophical and spiritual issue with spiritual leaders, philosophers and with our society for a very long time.

There are many spiritual affirmations. ranging from some of the sermons by Jesus in the Christian Bible, and similar messages from other religions, to ongoing current spiritual writings, such as "A Course in Miracles", that continually admonish us to release the angers, fears, expectations and projections from the past.

For example:

T-13, IV 9:4 - 9:7:

If you would accept your function in time as one of healing, you will emphasize only the aspect of time in which healing can occur. Healing cannot be accomplished in the past. It must in the present to release the future. This interpretation ties the future to the present, and extends the present rather than the past.

Even the German philosopher, Goethe, said it very nicely with (to paraphrase):

"The reason for my memory is so I can enjoy this moment!"(1)

The language student will recognize one of the Italian phrases for "It Happened" to be literally "It's a Success," i.e., a nice permission to let bygones be bygone.

Another way of saying this is the following affirmation, available on a striking black on yellow bumper sticker:

The Past is a Success!

• Cost: $2.00; includes handling, shipping and tax.
•  
• Available from:

  E. Stiltner

  181 Sawmill Road

  Jamestown, Colorado

  80455-9700

• Payment: personal check only.

(1)Goethes Unterhaltungen mit dem Kanzler von Mueller.
Herausgegeben: C.A.H.Burckhardt(1907)