On a recent trip, I traveled back to the town where I went to high school. I even saw one of my best friends that I met had there, and it’s a joy to realize how long we’ve been friends now.
One of my favorite characters in my Dare Valley series, Rhett Butler Blaylock, has this wonderful phrase about saying “boo to the ghost.” The ghost is whatever stuff in our past that still hurts us or in a conscious or unconscious way defines us.
My high school years were terrible frankly, filled with isolation, hard work, pressure, and outright ridicule at times. When I hear people say they’d love to repeat high school, I usually ask: where in the world did they go to school and are they telling the truth? If that person really had a great experience, then wonderful for him or her. I am so glad to hear someone enjoyed those four years. I didn’t.
My sister was with me when we “accidentally” turned on the street to our high school, and I looked at her and essentially said, “It’s time to say boo to the ghost.” We aren’t the girls we were then, but we remember the hurt. We have risen above anything anyone ever tried to tell us we were or were capable of—even ourselves. So my sister and I called out the names of all the people who had hurt us, all the experiences there that had wounded us, and then we blessed it all.
Happiness is saying “boo” to the past.
As we left there, we both felt like a huge weight had been lifted. Somewhat later after having tea with my best friend from high school, she “accidentally” turned onto the street to our high school too, so I said, “let’s head on over there then.” She and I had more boo-saying to do to the place.
It was cleansing. It was beautiful.
It was time.
How often do we say “boo” to the places that haunt us? How often do we say “boo” to the people or events that felt like crap, refusing to be held captive in their web any longer?
Say “boo” to something in your life right now and see what a difference it makes. Remember what I recalled as we drove away from a place that didn’t have many good memories for me. Nothing can have power over us unless we let it.
And nothing should have the power to steal our happiness away from us.
Say “Boo,” and Get Happy!
Image courtesy of hyena reality / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Ava
I completely agree. My high school was for conformists and anyone with an ounce of individuality or creativity had problems. It’s been difficult watching my daughter enter high school and deal with the pressure of grades, other girls, and a complete lack of freedom to pursue her personal interests, although we’re trying to structure her time to fit in activities where she shines!