The river, surging course,
Uninterrupted current.
Headwater, channel, mouth.
Can they be divided?
Each day, we all face a peculiar problem. We must validate our past, face our present, plan for the future.
Those who believe that life was better in the “old days” sometimes are blind to the reality of the present; those who live only for the present frequently have little regard for either precedent or consequence; and those who live only for some deferred reward often strain themselves with too much denial. Thinking of past, present, and future is a useful conceptual technique, but ultimately they must be appropriately balanced and joined.
We must understand how the past affects us, we should keep the present full of rich and satisfying experiences, and we should devote some energy each day to building for the future. Just as a river can be said to have parts that cannot be clearly divided, so too should we consider the whole of our time when deciding how to spend our lives.
The way that I understand time, all we really have is the Now. The past is in memories, the future can’t be touched yet, so the only moment that can really be affected is the Now. It is what one decides to do in the present moment that determines the future moments.
That said, there is certainly a lot to be learned from the lessons of the past, and much to be gained in planning for the future. I don’t think I have many days at all when I don’t do some of both. I think where I differentiate is that I don’t worry about the future or regret the past – I enjoy my memories and I anticipate the future. I’ve learned that regrets are futile (but not learning the lessons of the past is foolish). And worry is just stressful – it’s far better to take effective action if you are concerned about something.
Time can be thought of as both discrete and continuous – there are places where each type of thought is useful. But to be stuck in thinking only about then, or now, or the future is indeed, well, a waste of time. Better to be aware of all, and alive in the present moment. Too many people seem to walk through their lives in a daze, not aware of what is going on around them at all, lost in their concerns over what has happened or will happen. We all need to be awake and aware to the possibilites of the Now – and the consequences to the future of lacking that awareness.
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