Ruminating: Why we can't stop thinking about negative thoughts?


Last night, I watched New Year’s Eve festivities on television. At midnight, the revelers cheered on the hope and possibilities of a new year. January 1 on the calendar is a sign of a new beginning. At the same time, it’s possible for our bodies to live in the present moment while our minds are in a different time zone. The past and the present can emotionally coexist. Last year was full of new beginnings and endings of my various stories. Some of them happy, while others were heartbreaking.  As I reflect on an eventful 2019, I thought about an ancient story about looking backwards. When leaving a city, Lot and his family were told, “look not behind thee…But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Perhaps, this story warns us of the consequences of constantly ruminating about the past.  Let’s discuss….