You said it all right there, GG. Sometimes the past really brings me down, too. This is my biggest fear, actually, with moving back to Tennessee and being (primarily) around "ex-in-laws" all the time. They truly are family still, and they're really great... but being around them causes me to think/remember way too much that I don't want to.
The past and the memories and those experiences will always be there for all of us, good or bad. It's learning to deal with it all and pressing on towards a brighter future that we all must focus on.