Belfast is a city which, while not forgetting its past, is living

The actor and son of Northern Ireland, James Nesbitt, once spoke words that shimmer with quiet triumph: “Belfast is a city which, while not forgetting its past, is living comfortably with its present and looking forward to its future.” In this reflection lies a wisdom not only for a city, but for all humankind — for every soul and every nation carries a past that is both wound and wisdom. Nesbitt’s words echo through time as a hymn to healing, to reconciliation, and to the courage it takes to live with both memory and hope.

To understand the depth of this saying, one must first know the story of Belfast — a city scarred by conflict, yet radiant with resilience. For decades it was the heart of The Troubles, a time when neighbor turned against neighbor, when faith became a wall instead of a bridge. The streets bore witness to sorrow, yet also to bravery — for even amid darkness, life persisted. Mothers still sang to their children. Builders still rebuilt what was broken. Artists still painted color over gray walls. And when peace came, fragile and trembling like dawn after a long night, Belfast began its most sacred work: learning to remember without being consumed, to live without forgetting.

In these words, Nesbitt captures a truth that the ancients themselves would have honored — that the strength of a people is measured not by how they escape their past, but by how they carry it with dignity. The Greeks spoke of catharsis — the cleansing of the soul through remembrance and reflection. The prophets of old wept for their cities, yet never ceased to rebuild their temples. And so Belfast, like the phoenix of myth, rose from its ashes not by denying the fire, but by transforming it into light.

Consider the story of Germany after World War II, a nation burdened by guilt and devastation. It could have buried its history in shame, yet it chose the harder path — remembrance with accountability. Through this, it found renewal. So too has Belfast chosen remembrance over repression, community over division. The murals that once marked defiance now speak of peace; the walls that once separated now invite dialogue. The city’s beauty lies in this balance — it is not a place that hides its scars, but one that wears them as symbols of endurance and grace.

The origin of Nesbitt’s quote springs not from political doctrine, but from the human spirit itself — the eternal struggle between memory and progress. Every individual, like every city, must face this battle. To forget one’s past is to risk repeating it; to live only in it is to never move forward. Wisdom lies in the middle way — in living comfortably with the present, accepting that the past is part of who we are but not all that we shall be.

This teaching reaches beyond Belfast, touching every soul that has known pain or loss. How many hearts remain trapped in old wounds, unable to step into the sunlight of the present? How many communities dwell on what divided them, forgetting that unity begins with forgiveness? To live as Belfast does — to remember yet move forward — is to practice a rare form of strength. It demands humility, patience, and hope. It asks us to see that peace is not the absence of memory, but the transformation of memory into wisdom.

Therefore, the lesson is clear: honor your past, but do not dwell within it. Whether you are a person or a people, let your history be a foundation, not a prison. Carry your pain as one carries a lantern — to light the way, not to burn yourself anew. Rebuild, forgive, and trust that tomorrow can be brighter than yesterday. For the past may shape us, but it does not define our destiny.

And so, as James Nesbitt so beautifully said, let Belfast’s example be our own: a city, a heart, a soul that remembers where it came from, yet looks to the horizon with unshaken faith. To live “comfortably with the present” is not complacency; it is the serenity born of hard-won peace. And to look forward to the future — that is the act of creation itself. May we all, like Belfast, rise from the ruins of our yesterdays to build a tomorrow worthy of our courage.