looking back for reassurance

“Why do we look back at the thing we just tripped over, both literally and symbolically in life? Is it some kind of reality check? Do we do it to make sure the object is there to certify we stumbled over *something* and not just our own clumsiness or wrong actions? Whether it’s a broken sidewalk or a broken love affair, we almost always look back— often more than once." — JONATHAN CARROLL