A familiar adage says “Never look back. You’re not going that way.”

It’s a cute saying, but fails to take into account that our past always plays a role in shaping our future.

We reflect on our past to avoid repeating mistakes and to help understand our successes.

Our past not only puts us where we are, but defines us in ways hard to escape.

I thought about this a few weeks ago when I spent a day in Walnutport.

The Lehigh Canal town, founded in 1909, celebrates its rich history and warm people every year at the Walnutport Canal Festival.

I’ve been going there for a number of years, taking along an 1890 highwheel to demonstrate how early Americans traveled in the age before automobiles.

It’s interesting to note that, in this case, my highwheel is actually older than the town.

Some years, the festival was impacted by inclement weather, and more recently, the pandemic, as were many other events.

For sure, the COVID-19 crisis changed our world and our lifestyle patterns in ways we’ll never forget. I’m thankful to see things return to normal.

So while it’s not always fun to look at the past, it’s easy to understand how it becomes part of our lives in lasting ways.

Return to Walnutport

This year, I was delighted to become reacquainted in October with the area that once hosted a canal boat repair shop.

And it was a treat to visit the ca. 1828 Walnutport locktender’s house. That’s where, in 1932, brothers Clifford and Robbie Best hauled the last load of anthracite coal. Similarly, Allen Strohl hauled the last river coal in 1942. Of course, other commodities, such as pig iron, also were shipped on the efficient canal system.

Still, we somehow associate canals with coal because that was their primary purpose.

The days of mules and canalboats are gone. But it’s enriching to understand the role they played in getting coal to market and fueling the country’s growth.

Looking back helps us to understand.

As always, the welcoming people of Walnutport made the event special, with friendly smiles, homemade arts and crafts, and festival foods, some prepared by church volunteers.

Best of all, I had quite a surprise as soon as I entered the towpath.

A woman approached to say hello. I didn’t know her but later learned she’s Slatington native and well-known civic volunteer Monica Sellers.

She noticed my name tag and introduced herself.

Turns out, her maiden name was Monica Serfass and we share a bond. We’re joined together in the same family lineage. Both of us knew it right away.

All Serfasses in Pennsylvania trace their roots to Philip Servas (Serfass) and wife Maria Catharina. They came to America in 1739 from Zweibrucken, Germany.

About 1753, they settled near what is now Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County. The couple had 10 children.

It was the start of the Serfass family in America, coinciding with the founding of Pleasant Valley.

Migration

The family’s genealogy and migration patterns have been researched and documented.

Like many other families, they grew and expanded, with children and grandchildren moving away - although not very far.

The Serfass clan helped to settle and populate many neighboring towns - Kresgeville, Stroudsburg, Gilbert, Kunkletown and Palmerton.

Truth is, the family grew so large so quickly that relatives lost touch. The scope of that growth was exceptional, making news headlines at one point.

Philip Serfass’s great-great grandson was Aaron of Palmerton. He, too, fathered 10 children. When Aaron died at Thanksgiving, 1939, age 93, he was progenitor of five generations in 21 families, leaving 271 survivors.

In fact, the Allentown Morning Call wrote a story about it at the time.

And so today, Serfass family members, descendant-cousins, often happen to meet for the first time by chance, as Monica and I did.

Naturally, we became instant friends, even if we didn’t have time to sit down and fully compare notes.

But it’s another example of how we need to look at the past to understand who we are.

So this weekend I’ll be looking back in gratitude on what also is the sixth anniversary of my retirement.

I’m thankful to be healthy and active. I’m grateful to be able to continue to explore. And that means looking in both directions.

Yes, it’s nice to try to peer into the future with hope. But it’s just as fulfilling to look back and reflect.

The past tells us about ourselves and how far we’ve come. We should always acknowledge it with a sense of appreciation.

Have a warm, relaxing Thanksgiving weekend, dear friend, and cherish everyone around you.