Have you ever strolled down Memory Lane and remembered you don't live there anymore?

Have you ever strolled down Memory Lane and remembered you don't live there anymore?
I have, and it has positive and negative effects, depending on which part of Memory Lane you're reminiscing about.

Firstly, when strolling down Memory Lane recently, I was thinking, are exes, exes for a reason? Everybody has someone in their past that they cannot forget and will always feel something towards. I recently found myself shocked, when I found out that an ex had gotten engaged, and is pretty serious about it all. Of course I'm happy for them, and I'm happy to see that things are progressing, but I couldn't help but ponder over our past. We were on and off for the most part of my teenage years, and as a result, he is referred to as "THE" ex, as he's the one I spent the most time with, and arguably felt the most for. This then led me on to think, after having him break-up with his now fiancee only two short months ago to try and get back with me, how serious can this proposed marriage be? Also, why there is such a need for certain family members to contact me out of the blue, to inform me that the date has been set, the dress has been bought, family members are booking time to travel over for the wedding. After all, I am the ex, I am not part of their lives anymore, so why go through the trouble of trying to get me involved? And magically when the couple have an argument I get the blame for problems - funny that?

Anyway, long story short, this got me to thinking "Are exes, exes for a reason?". I mean, you have many happy memories, and you must have seen something special in them at some stage, so when do you start referring to someone as "the ex" I mean sure, after you break up they are no longer the boyfriend/girlfriend/partner etc, but do you automatically refer to them as an ex? And is there a reason to refer to them as an ex? A wise friend of mine once said to me:
"An ex is called an ex, because they are an EXample of someone you shouldn't be with, and an EXample of what not to look for" - which has gotten me through a lot over the years. People change, things change, but is that really a reason to look back at a relationship with clenched fists and grinding teeth? Why as human beings, or maybe I'm being too general and it's a teenage girl thing, but why do we dwell on those things that went wrong in a relationship? And why do we not instead dote on the things that went right, and reminisce about all the cute little love letters, the dates you went on, the silly inside jokes, and the time you spent together just being comfortable with one another?

Regret is such a strong word, and I can honestly, hand on my heart, say that I don't regret anything. I may look back at things and think "WOW that was a stupid thing to do" but I wouldn't change it for the world, it's shaped me and it has made me the person I am today. Another quote that has gotten me through a lot in the past is that "Life is like photography, we take a lot of photographs, but you need the negatives to develop and to find beauty".

Have you ever strolled down Memory Lane and remembered you don't live there anymore? I have, and I'm having realisations every day, and I know that the future will be worth it, and I am awaiting that happy ending with baited breath.