I disagree with Jon Bon Jovi

One of his hits is “Who says you can’t go home?” It’s all about a person who has traveled the world and done amazing things but has this desire to return back home.

The problem is even if you do go back home, or back to the past, it’s just not the same. You literally can’t go back to the way it was, to the way that was familiar. That’s because you’ve changed and so has where you are going back to. And they are not the same changes.

In seminary our family lived in Finland for a year. Would I like to go back to living in Finland, like I did in seminary — absolutely. And at the same time, I recognize that it’s not the same and neither am I. It wouldn’t be the same. It would be something new again. And actually harder because I would probably come with certain expectations and assumptions, but they would not be valid any longer. Our family has changed — the kids are older with one in college now. My life has changed in that time too. I can’t ever go back to the way it was.

The idea of going back is comforting. It’s something familiar. We often remember the past, not as the past actually was, but as we prefer to remember it. We do our own little editing of the past for our own benefit.

Going back might sound wonderful to some people but try to implement it in practical ways. If you are really want to go back then you better be prepared to reverse time. Better give up whatever technology and wisdom and knowledge you have gained. Better go back to that job you had, with that salary. Good…