Dealing with the future
Future means opportunities, as well as uncertainties. We celebrate opportunities, but dread uncertainties.
Time elapsing at a constant rate is the origin of all of our stresses.
When we are anticipating for something to happen, time seems miserably slow. When we are enjoying a good time or trying to hit a deadline, time flies by all too fast. We are distressed when we know one's time is running out, i.e. dying, even when one's life is full of accomplishments and happiness.
When we fail, we are afraid that we will not have another chance. If we had unlimited time, then we know we would succeed sometime in the future, so there is be nothing to be frustrated about.
When we are eagerly waiting for a result, we are anxious about which path the event will lead us. Because we are afraid that we'll spend too much time on a path that's less favored. If we had unlimited time, then it doesn't matter which path we take, because we can try every paths we'd like to tread on.
If we simply accept the rate at which time elapses, we will not feel impatient or hope good times would last forever. But we are far from being perfectly logical creatures. Our hopes that time could be slowed or accelerated at will cause our pain throughout our lives.
Recognizing when we are holding unrealistic expectations on how fast time elapses is key to dealing with our everyday stresses. There is no need to stress because we cannot change it. This is why we should not worry about things that are not in our control.
Dealing with the past
Past memories seem so vivid and real to us, but the moment they pass, they are gone from this world.
We often wish we could change things from the past. We wish the past could be different even when we know it's impossible. After all, what happened to us feels so real and close as if we can touch it just by extending our arms. But our past memories are like our own images in the mirror, we can never touch it even when it feels so close.
Many of us are haunted by the bad experiences from our past. We don't want to let go because they still feel real. As a result, we put on more and more burdens and become more and more risk-averse.
But our past can never come back and bite us again, if we don't allow it to happen. Everything that happened in the past has been sealed by time and can no longer change its shape. But we, living things, is capable of change. We can change our perception of our past, and free ourselves from the ever increasing burdens. And forgive ourselves for our mistakes.
What's between the future and the past, is called " the present".
