Student Question

In Paulo Coelho's "The Zahir", he suggests forgetting our personal past for a fresh start. Is forgetting the past, even if it was difficult, the best way to progress?

Quick answer:

Forgetting the past, even if difficult, is not necessarily the best way to progress. While some believe in reinventing oneself through new experiences and relationships, others argue that completely breaking from the past is unrealistic. Instead, it is more practical to learn from past experiences to facilitate growth and personal development. This balanced approach allows for metaphorical new beginnings without ignoring valuable lessons from previous experiences.

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I think I agree as well. A complete break with one's past seems like nothing more than a conceit, a conceptual notion that works on paper but not in reality.

We can metaphorically begin again. We can't actually begin again. This, to me, is where the answer to the question really lies. We should remember and learn from our past, because this is the only real option (unless we somehow fail to learn any lessons through reflection on our lives).

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I strongly agree. I have sought to reinvent myself several times in my life, and it is always when I feel like I have hit a wall. I came to determine that my life was not going in the direction I wanted it to. I do think we can be reborn, figuratively. This comes with new relationships, new jobs, relocating, and even new hobbies. This is the great thing about life: you can always change.

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