Random thoughts while moving west.....
With age comes some sentimentality – kept in control - this can be good. Remembering the past and holding it dear can help define the future. The trick is to steer in the direction of the future while still enjoying the present.
You read so much about the importance of “now.” This sounds good, but to not understand the “now” has its grounding in the past and the hope of a future, is to fail to grasp the emotional and philosophical base that each of us uses to live in the "now.”
The past has molded us and defines how we view our lives. For the person born to introspection, the past can be a great comfort. It helps us to understand and relate to our experience. This helps shape how we react in the present. Understanding this is good and offers us some reassurance.
What about our bad experiences of the past? We have all had some, others more than their share. Nonetheless, if we have managed to view our lives as meaningful, these bad experiences helped to make us who we are. It is the grain of sand in the oyster that makes the pearl.
By all means, live in the present. However, never forget how important our awareness of the past and future are in defining how we view the present.
Brother Giovanni, commenting from Pizzaonia
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