Moving Forward Means Leaving Something Behind

If you watch something grow over a long enough period, you'll see it has changed. Trees don't become longer, taller sprouts. They gain leaves, bark, roots. They ditch their protective shells and emerge into something that needs a lot less protecting. They grow a tough outer skin that regenerates over the seasons. They grow shade giving leaves that also regrow after animals use them for food and shelter. They start small and become something larger, self-reliant. They become more useful over time because they let go of the things holding them back. 
Like caterpillars outgrowing the slither and squirm stage and becoming free floating butterflies. They shed their old selves and become something better.

If bugs can do it instinctively, then why don't humans catch on so naturally? Why do humans dwell on the past and let it stop them from moving forward? Forgive and forget. Said so often it must be a good idea. We love it when people forgive us, and when they forget our mistakes but we feel obligated or even justified in holding them to theirs. Like a paperweight on a notepad we feel like it is our duty to hold someone grounded in their past and former selves. How can you grow from that?

You can't. You cannot be a better person and hold onto bitterness. Sorry, not gonna happen. I don't care what it is, you do not get a free pass on "I got hurt" street. As though your pain or your struggle was the most dire struggle in the world. Even worse is when you talk to people who have moved on and survived from ACTUAL trauma and horrific lives, the first thing they tell you is how they had to let it go and move on. Whole countries of people moving on from terrible, preventable things like war and genocide, all saying the same thing. Move on and grow from there.

But we don't like to do that. We have an asshole card we like to pull in sticky situations, usually when faced with our own shit. We pull the card and go,"remember when you did this? that's why i'm being a dick now. because of back then. this is my reasoning. this is my revenge." That's cool. As long as you realize and admit to yourself and others that you are in fact, a dick/bitch/asshole and there isn't any REAL reason other than your disability. Yes, bitterness is a disability. Being unable to emotionally mature and grow past a certain point because of a stubborn, pigheaded nature sure sounds like something they'll be making drugs for soon. Might wanna jump on that train early. I know a few people in need of a prescription asap.