Being stuck on one tense blinds us.
- Being stuck thinking about the past traps us into rumination about that which we cannot change.
- Preoccupation with our immediate situation hampers plans and action for our future.
- And getting stuck on our future clouds our vision, because our perceptions are limited by things that don’t act on us at this point, and things that do, but may disappear in time. We can’t see all, and can only partially predict.
Balance
Rather than spending too much time with any one, we should honor the value and limitations of the three. Past, present, and future all should be part of the nature of our perceptions. Focusing only on one blinds us to other features we need to successfully navigate life.
I struggle with balancing things. The past has much allure, but has very little to offer in advice – except many examples of what not to do. Tumultuous idiocy I can do without. Ahhh…object lessons, how could we do without them!
My present offers a basis for future planning. I’m seventynine. Sometime in the next twenty years, I’ll want to retire! OK, maybe in just a few. How are my current activities contributing to that retirement? How much can you prepare for fresh challenges that occur that you did not plan for?
Perception
“Perceive That Which Cannot Be Seen With The Eye.” This enigmatic little observation was made by the famous poet, artist, and swordsman Mushashi. I think it’s in line with the concept of mindfulness and balance in martial arts. I strive to plan for what I can perceive and position myself for the unexpected.
Is this perfect? Absolutely not, but it’s the best I can do. My feelings are that if I spend too much time in any one tense, I’ll be off balance, and being off balance means you are vulnerable to what you might have prepared for.
We can’t prepare for everything, but why expose ourselves to the preventable?
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I do recall the past often- not because I am trying to mind you- but it just brings itself to the fore- as that is the life experience I have to draw on. I choose to share it- the good the bad and the ugly when I think it appropriate- not because I am still trying to come to terms with it- but because I want people to know that people that choose to live the life I led- are intelligent loving people just like they no doubt perceive themselves to be- and poor decisions do not define a lifetime.. Wonderful though provoking article, Lou.
Thank you, Violet. You and I use our past creativily in our posts. They are a sort of background. You can’t invent some of that stuff.
Balance is a very worthy goal. It’s part of why I returned to Al Jabr. After last year I discovered that there have been things asked of me that I didn’t even see. That was a huge, “Wake up, Sweet Cheeks” moment. OK. Not sure what it means, but here I am. It seems like almost every day a thing appears and I’m challenged to address it, understand it, do it as the person I am now. I realized last night when I woke up anxious, again, that is one of the new challenges, just that, that things I’m confronting are new to this new person, me. Is the past useful? Kind of.
Being kept on our toes, and continuing learning are what keeps us from premature aging.
I agree, Lou.