Back to the future…

I know that this is the title of an 80’s classic movie, that most everyone has heard of, but I couldn't resist the title, based on the photos today. It’s not everyday that you get to see a DeLorean in real life, right beside you. This one was parked in the lot at my office and I had no option, but to take a picture (it will thrill my youngest son when I show them to him - he loves cool cars). Just for nostalgia sake, it’s cool to have on file, so I can remember my youth.

The car brought several things to mind…

Remembering the past can motivate the future. 

Good memories of days gone by generally bring a smile to your face. Memories of a car sometimes lead to other good memories from that time in life. I used to have a Volkswagen Rabbit, back in the day. It was a 1984 stick with automatic seat-belts (an engineering marvel back in the eighties, that most always choked you on the way in and the way out of the car). When I saw the DeLorean, I thought of my Rabbit - they are just about the same - sporty, cool, people stop to look at them - mine was diaper yellow - a very popular color. 

I thought about a trip I made to the lake with it, where I stalled it out when I forgot to downshift.

I thought about the fuel mileage - it was so cheap.

I thought about the reverse donuts I did in the snow - front wheel drive with the parking brake - way fun (don’t tell my parents).

I thought about all the youth and college and career activities I attended, at my church.

I thought about lives that I hoped I impacted back then - or didn’t…

I thought about how fast life passes by and the missed opportunities to change those around us.

The cycle of memories gets us thinking - we need that.

Have you ever run through a cycle of memories leading you to learn?

Even failures become successes later on.

The DeLorean started off great and was considered a marvel when it came out. The life of the owner and the company quickly became a disaster and the car only became popular in the movie series, rather than in real life. It was a sad, but true story of ingenuity and success, with failure to follow.

The car is now a sought after vehicle that people stare at, as it passes by. They are rare and envied, so it’s made a comeback from about 30 years ago.

Sometimes, we fail in life, but later, we see how it becomes a success. It’s a huge pain to fail - believe me, I’ve done it many times. We make a choice that we think is best, and we fall flat on our face, in what seems like a disaster, at the time. It hurts, and sometimes we are looked at with disdain, or with the word “failure” directly above our right eyebrow, and “loser” above our left. 

Some folks don’t recover from the fails of life, and just fall apart, while others realize that the failing times will help our future successes. 

When I left a corporate setting for a small business, I fully believed it was the right choice. I asked lots and lots of questions, and sought good counsel from people, before I made the leap, but it didn’t turn out the way I hoped, and I was downsized. I felt the sting of failure, but the experience gave me skills that I need now, and will need in the future.

Have you ever failed and then seen success later, because of the failure?

Our choices have consequences that we can almost never change.

The only negative thing about failure, is that you can’t always get rid of the consequences. Sometimes, you can soften them, and maybe they aren’t too severe, but  in other situations the consequences can really hurt you.

I messed around way too much in my first few years of high-school, and that caused me to end up a year behind my peers. I can’t change that fact. The consequences stuck.

I chose to steal some candy and gum, from a corner store, when I was about 10 or 11. I was caught and couldn't return to the store for 1 year. The consequence stuck.


Once, as an early teen, I picked up a ping pong table incorrectly, and it unfolded on my fingers, and cut them. I still have the scars today, and they bother me.  The consequences stuck.

I didn’t pick up a trailer correctly, when I was 13, and had to have surgery on my toe, a few months ago, because of the damage when it fell on me, back then. The consequences stuck.

We all make bad or wrong choices during our lives, but before we do, we must remember that the consequences will not leave us.

Have you failed and had the consequences stick? And they hurt?

Lessons Learned: This was a little long today - sorry, but the past matters to our future.

Thoughts: What past item has recently reminded you of some life lessons?

#failalot