Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Past, Present & Future

Which one are you in?  Everyone is in one or more of them and depending on where you are seems to be what affects the rest of them........

Past - If you're stuck in the past dwelling on what has happened to you or because of you.  When we live in the past even for a little bit, we can't enjoy the present.  We worry about the future that ultimately becomes the present even for a short time.  We by nature think that the future can be predicted by the past.  Constantly waiting for it to happen the same way it did before.  Is learning from the past mean we must dwell on it?  Or does learning from it mean we take time to take a genuine look at it, find the lesson in it and let it go? Thinking that a man or a woman did something to hurt you means that every one in the future will do the same thing is ridiculous.  Everyone is different although there are similar actions.  What does it mean?  Maybe we should evaluate each happening, and all of its evidence and see what each means, instead of prejudging a situation and assuming we are correct.  People judge things that they don't understand or don't want to understand by a standard that they have without any information.  How is that realistic?  We've all been judged, most of us by someone that had no idea what we were going through and they didn't even care to find out.  So is it real or worth our time to have reasl concern for it? Or they thought they could ask their friends for help on understanding something about someone they have never even met let alone had a conversation with about the past happening that they are judging.  Yet each one of those individuals would be infuriated if they were unfairly judged for things in their past.  Sounds like a double standard to me.......what say you?  I believe the past is the past and none of us can change it except in the present.  The future isn't here yet, especially for things from the past.....

Future - The future is only something that we can plan for in the present.  When it gets here and our plan isn't working we can evaluate and adjust the plan. The future is fluid and can change shape as we go into it.  We can ask "what if" about the future but so many times that is a negative situation.  What if the worst happens......well what if nothing happens....then what.  The thing to do is to be aware as life comes at you and do your best to interact with it.  Some people plan and plan for the future and forget to live life to the fullest.  Then they retire from their career with an income and not even a gold watch and die shortly after.  Never enjoying what they planned for or the journey getting there for the prize at the end.  Life is short, too short to not live it to the fullest everyday and tell people the good you see and appreciate in them.

Present - The present is appropriately named.  If one can attain being present to the present, it becomes a gift of a healthy life.  You can enjoy what is happening and deal with it to the best of your ability.  The present becomes the past and the future becomse the present.  Being able to learn from the past and see the plan unfold all at the same time.  So many people get caught up in all of the past and future they will rob themselves of the present and all of its joy. 

Summary - Where are you?  Where do you want to be?  I want to be present to the present.  I want to enjoy the slightest nuanses of life right here and now.  You are welcome to do which ever you like, just remember it is your own happiness you are dealing with.  Good luck.