I was watching The Sheep Detectives this weekend, and there was a moment that just stopped me.

One of the sheep said,
“But it hurts to remember.”

And the older sheep gently responded,
“But when we choose to forget, we also lose all the good.”

Whew.

Because if we’re being real… there are parts of our story we’d rather not revisit.

The loss of someone we love.
The job we didn’t get.
The relationship that fell apart.
The season where money was tight and stress was high.
The moments where we questioned everything about ourselves.

There are chapters in our lives that still ache when we open them.

I know that feeling all too well.

When I think about losing my mom unexpectedly in 2018, it still hurts. There are moments where I can feel it just as fresh as the day it happened. There are memories that feel heavy. Conversations I wish I could have had. Time I wish I could get back.

And if I’m honest, there are days where it would feel easier to just… not go there.

To avoid the memories.
To push it down.
To keep moving forward without looking back.

Because remembering can hurt.

But here’s what I’ve learned.

If I choose to forget the pain, I also lose the laughter.
If I avoid the hard memories, I miss the moments that shaped me.
If I shut the door on that chapter, I silence the love that still exists there.

Because my story with my mom wasn’t just the loss.

It was the jokes.
The lessons.
The conversations.
The love that still impacts how I show up today.

And the same is true for you.

That breakup? It hurt… but it probably taught you something about what you deserve.
That job you didn’t get? It stung… but it may have redirected you to something better.
That hard season financially? It was stressful… but it likely built a resilience in you that you carry now.

The pain is real. I’m not minimizing that.

But the good is real too.

And sometimes, healing isn’t about choosing one or the other.
It’s about learning to hold both.

To say,
“Yes, this hurt.”
“And yes, there was still something meaningful there too.”

You don’t have to rush back into those memories.
You don’t have to pretend they don’t sting.

But don’t rob yourself of the good just to avoid the pain.

Because the truth is…

Some of the most beautiful parts of who you are today were shaped in seasons you never would have chosen.

So remember.

Even when it’s hard.

Because the love, the growth, the laughter, the lessons… they’re worth holding onto too.