Yesterday

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away

Now it looks as though they’re here to stay

Oh, I believe in yesterday

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

I know, you are now humming. I’m happy for you. I have hummed and sung this song for years. And after seeing the movie of the same name I have become a bit of a Beatles fanatic. So that is why it was so remarkable to me that it took me so long to truly understand the depth of meaning to these iconic lyrics.

It happened while reading a book. If you knew me you would be saying inside your head right now, “Well, duh, of course it happened while you were reading. It’s all you ever do.” I wish. But I do read a lot. Comes in handy as a third grade teacher. I can talk about a love of reading from a first hand experience. Then, of course, they want to love books just like their teacher. Brilliant, right?

I digress. Back to Yesterday.

Anyway, I was reading a book and the main character did something stupid (in my opinion as the reader) and changed the trajectory of her life overnight. In a direction she thought she wanted to go, but still it saddened her. And once she had done it there was no turning back. And things would never be the same again.

That’s when the light went on in the attic. (My attic)

Yesterday!

All her troubles seemed so far away!

Now it looked as though they were here to stay!

At that moment, she believed in yesterday because if she could go back she just might. be. better. off. (Notice I didn’t say happier?)

So ever since that moment in that book I have been pondering the song differently. And thinking about all those yesterday moments in my life. The times when I said something that I regretted but could never take back. The times when I made decisions, perhaps rashly, and plowed ahead, heedless to the warnings going off around me. The times when I said yes to something though I wanted to say no. The times when I heard a bit of news, perhaps from a friend, perhaps a relative, perhaps a doctor, that changed my life.

These are all Yesterday moments. Life changing moments. I just never connected the song lyrics that I fell in love with as a young girl to the meaning of those beautiful sad words. Perhaps it is because I fell in love with the words, being so young, rather than the meaning. I did not have a reference in my life yet for the meaning of the words. I hadn’t lost a boyfriend yet. Hadn’t cried with family members at a funeral yet. Hadn’t experienced illness beyond a simple cold (or maybe chicken pox). Hadn’t learned to regret a word or action.

But back to today. Because today is March 1st. And that means:

Yesterday, all my hours they belonged to me

Now it looks as though I’ve hours not free

Oh I belong to SOLC

Me!

Hahaha! Welcome back slicers. So happy to be sharing another March with you!