Riding the Bus of Our Life--a Muse

        

                                                           Riding the Bus of Our Life

I’m musing a bit here—please bear with me and see what you think…..

There are three parts in the journey of us, namely the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Present, or the Now, is always at the crossroads of the other two.

Our thoughts and experiences move from the Now into the Past in the form of memories.  This is a continuous, never ending process as long as we’re alive. In the Now is where we live, as in the expression “in the here and now.”  We remain Here at all times; thinking, saying and doing what we do, while our thoughts and experiences slip into the Past.

What about the Future? 

If we live in the Past when we’re in the Present, it will impact our moving ahead to new thoughts and experiences. If we live in the NOW we can affect our Future by visualizing and dreaming and planning.  Our dreams and visualizations will appear in the NOW and affect our growth.  And our choices in the Now will affect our Future.  In the Now is where it all happens. 

We as individuals need to be aware of the flow of the Future into the Past.

·         The Past, Present, and Future is a Journey: This is a fundamental framework for understanding our temporal existence.

·         The Present as the Crossroads: This is crucial. The "Now" isn't a static point but the dynamic intersection where everything happens. It's the only point of actual experience.

·         Thoughts and Experiences Move into the Past as Memories:  Our lived moments become the historical record of our lives. This "continuous, never-ending process" is indeed how our personal history is built.

·         Living "Here and Now": This emphasizes the unique reality of the present. We are always here, experiencing now.

·         Living in the Past's Impact on Moving Ahead: This is a profound psychological truth. If our "Now" is consumed by replaying or being bound by past events (regrets, grievances, nostalgia), it inhibits our capacity to create something new. It's like driving forward while constantly looking in the rearview mirror.

·         Living in the NOW to Affect the Future (Visualization, Dreaming, Planning): This is the core of conscious creation and personal agency. The future isn't a predetermined track we passively enter. It's shaped by our intentions, actions, and choices in the present. Our dreams and visualizations are potent precisely because they are present mental activities that direct future possibilities. They don't exist in the future, they exist now as a blueprint for what we aim to bring into the now of tomorrow.

·         "In the Now is where it all happens". It's the  place where we have power, where decisions are made, where actions are taken, and where life is truly lived. Our responsibility is to focus on the present. 

A bus trip is an excellent analogy  you may want to keep in mind:

     

     ·    We’re riding the Bus: It's moving, and it's where all the action is  happening. You can't be off the bus in the past or future; you're always on the bus in the now.

  ·    Looking Back (Past): This beautifully illustrates how our memories work. We can look out the back window and see the scenery we've already passed; where our experiences happened. They’re behind us, part of the journey already taken.

  ·    Riding Ahead (Future): This captures the forward momentum into the unknown. We're moving towards what's next, and while we might anticipate or plan for what's coming, we can't fully see or experience it until the NOW gets there.

It also subtly reinforces the idea that you can't stop the bus. Time keeps moving, just like the bus keeps moving.

                                                           Comments welcome!