We are quick to apologize to others. "I’m sorry I was late." "I’m sorry I forgot." But we rarely apologize to the one person we have neglected the most: ourselves.
As I approach the half-century mark, I realize I am carrying a debt. I owe an apology to the younger Ebelsain.
I am sorry I waited so long to believe in you.
I am sorry I let fear make decisions for us.
I am sorry I quieted your voice to keep the peace in rooms where we didn't belong.
This isn’t about regret. Regret is heavy; it holds you back. This is about reconciliation.
It is about looking in the mirror and saying, "I forgive you for what you didn't know then. But now we know. Now we move."
You cannot build a future if you are secretly angry at your past self. Forgive him. He got you here. He survived so you could thrive. Shake hands with yesterday, and then say goodbye.