Stand Where You Stand by Berton Braley
Start where you stand and never mind the past,
The past won’t help you in beginning new,
If you have left it all behind at last
Why, that’s enough, you’re done with it, you’re through;
This is another chapter in the book,
This is another race that you have planned,
Don’t give the vanished days a backward look,
Start where you stand.
The world won’t care about your old defeats
If you can start anew and win success,
The future is your time, and time is fleet
And there is much of work and strain and stress;
Forget the buried woes and dead despairs,
Here is a brand new trial right at hand,
The future is for him who does and dares,
Start where you stand.
Old failures will not halt, old triumphs aid,
To-day’s the thing, to-morrow soon will be;
Get in the fight and face it unafraid,
And leave the past to ancient history;
What has been, has been; yesterday is dead
And by it you are neither blessed nor banned,
Take courage, man, be brave and drive ahead,
Start where you stand.
The vanished days are a black hole into which far too much life substance is poured. Vain regrets about the past are like parasites that suck the life from their host. There is far too much in front of you, let alone ahead of you to be consumed with moments and hours and days gone by.
Lift your head, lighten your heart and move forward, ever forward.
Gregory Hake 
Today is the thing! Love that emphasis. From here there can rightly be an increase in the future days of our living.
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Wonderful poem, I’ve never read it before, thank you. This is the way to start each moment, day or endeavor. We each want a new slate so give one to everyone you meet, as well as yourself!
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There is certainly nothing we can do about the past and I tend to think we are too concerned about what others think about our past as well. Although some may consider it, most probably give it much less thought (or none), than we do. This is liberating, if we allow it to be so!
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