Daphne Rose Kingma once said: “Waiting means believing that there is only a past; letting go is knowing there is a future.” In the novel The Lovely Bones, author Alice Sebold describes that you cannot move on to new things in life if you don't let go of the past. Because Abigail and Lindsey let go of the tragic memories surrounding Susie's death, they are able to move on and enjoy life, but because Mr. Harvey retains symbols of his past victims, he is captured and killed. Abigail Salmon goes through many hardships after the death of her firstborn Susie. Even though she is hurt, upset, and feels helpless, she finds a way to move forward and finds happiness. He knows the murder happened and cannot change the circumstances by complaining. Abigail tells Len Fenerman that she has moved on and is ready to talk normally about her daughter's murder. “Say it again”,… “The murder of my daughter”, “No one says it. Nobody in the neighborhood talks about it. People call it a “horrific tragedy” or some variation on the term. I just want someone to say it out loud. To say it out loud, I'm ready, I wasn't before. (Sebold, 148) Abigail tells Len that she has moved on and wants everyone else to know it too. He uses Len as a way to overcome his pain. “…while my mother was granted her most temporal wish. To find a way out of his ruined heart, in merciful adultery.” (Sebold, 197) Every time Abigail meets Len, she is able to forget her worries for a while, and even though she is betraying her family by doing so, she is happy and knows that she will finally be able to do what she has always wanted to do. when he goes to California to escape from all his problems. “…and my mother clung to her…middle of paper…Sylvania keystone charm. Then he saw that the ground nearby had been partially dug up by a bear. The bear exposed the unmistakable bones of a child's foot. (Sebold, 219-220) Since Mr. Harvey is unable to move forward from the memories and retains the tokens, he is captured and forced to escape. He has to live deceitfully and cannot enjoy the life he has left. You have to let go of your past to move on to new things in life. Because Abigail lets go of her sad memories of the murder, she is able to start a new life, and because Susie leaves her life on Earth, she finally goes to heaven. Since Mr. Harvey retains all his memories of the past, he is captured and dies a painful death. Alice Sebold illustrates in The Lovely Bones that there is no point in wasting life regretting the irreversible past when life offers so much to look forward to.