Time, Past, Present, Future

Yesterday, today, tomorrow. These terms we use so often in our daily lives – maybe everyday – that we never truly realize what they mean. What is yesterday, what is today, what is tomorrow? Are they moments in time?
These terms have no true meaning in and of themselves. Rather, they depend upon each other for complete elucidation; that is to say, they are relative to each other.
For yesterday is only in existence in relation to today. Otherwise, what is yesterday (or the past) or tomorrow (or the future)? If you say, “We’ll start this tomorrow”, then ask yourself, what is tomorrow? It is only the next day, is it not?
But do we ever get to tomorrow?
Obviously, no. When tomorrow comes, it comes as today, and what is today now becomes yesterday. Yet. There is still a tomorrow.
And therefore, we can agree that tomorrow is non-existent. As is yesterday. However, there is still a difference.
In this context, tomorrow refers to the future – what will come – today refers to the present – what has come – and yesterday refers to the past – what already came and is now gone.
It is continuous cycle of coming, here and gone. As I myself have quoted in a book I’m writing, “All moments, every second, every prized heartbeat comes, flashes briefly in the light, and then skitters away to where it cannot be called back from.” (Although in the story the paragraph refers to letting go and memory and pasts.)
So basically, one thing for sure exists. And that’s now. Not even today. Now. Because I’m writing now and it’s, like, nearly six in the evening. This morning’s gone. Never coming back. Yesterday night, this morning was the future. Now it’s the past. And, let’s face it, this moment when I’m writing or you’re reading, it’ll be past in a few minutes.
They say nothing is impossible. But some things are. Like getting yesterday back. And one day (tomorrow, actually), today will become yesterday.
So why not enjoy what is now? Yeah, sure, speculate about the future. And keep your memories. But live now. Don’t forget it. Every single moment, you can dream. Every single moment, you can do. Every single moment, you can make a change. Every single moment, you can make a change for a better tomorrow. Every single moment, you can make a change for a better you.
You can make every single moment count, so that when the present becomes the past, and you’re in what’s right now the future, you can look back and say, “Yes, I did something good.”
(But just because one can doesn’t mean one will. “I can do it” or “I will do it”? Or “will I do it?” That purely depends upon the doer’s volition.)
Who you are today, whoever you are today, is built by who you were yesterday. And who you will be tomorrow is entirely based on today. Suppose you’re on a crossroad. You have to choose. Wherever you’ll reach, it will be because of the path you’ll choose now.
That’s because today began yesterday, tomorrow begins today.
So, concludingly, the three terms with which we began, don’t only exist in relation to each other; they are interrelated. Everything – past, present, future; yesterday, today, tomorrow – is connected. Laced together in a plexus of now and then and all that’ll come to create the intricately clear and confusing fabric of time.
Yes; time is a mystery. And it is also a teacher. A great teacher. It teaches you to let go. Learn from the past. Unknown future. But the present is what you can change to make tomorrow different.
So learn from time, embrace the past – but live now.