Retrospective Lily

I apologize in advance for how often I use the words ‘past’ and ‘future’ in this post.

This week, I went through a box of cards I’ve kept over the years. Here’s a poem I wrote about it.

They were so heart-warming, especially those from childhood or given by people now deceased. One that stuck in my mind was from my Papa on my 8th birthday – he passed away in 2002.

Cards are symbols of the past – tangible objects that commemorate INtangible thoughts, feelings, experiences, and memories. Photos accomplish the same purpose – freezing a fleeting moment.

The past is not real in a literal sense…which may sound silly and postmodernist, but think about it: without cards, pictures, and other mementos, the past only lives in our minds.

Only the present is real, because the past and the future are elusive – what was or what will be. The past was real when it was happening, but now it is gone. The future will be real someday, but it is just a projection.

As society progresses, we find more ways to ground the past and future in reality.

Along with cards and pictures (and written records – biographies, newspaper articles, etc.), we have videos and social media that *help* set the past in stone. I say *help* because even with “undeniable proof” of how something happened, people’s memories/stories still vary.

For instance, the Blue Ridge Rock Festival, an event that took place last week a few hours from home, turned out to be a multi-million-dollar disaster (I won’t bore you with the details, but click on the name if you’re curious). Despite the countless TikToks, Facebook posts, and news stories covering the event and why it failed, the full objective truth is hard to pinpoint.

How much of the blame is attributable to bad weather vs. poor planning on behalf of the festival organizers? And how much of it is due to the rumored workers’ strike over unacceptable working conditions? The narratives are all over the place.

We plan for the future through budgeting and goal-setting; we prepare for it by investing in stocks and 401(k)s; we think ahead about where we want to be in 5, 10, 20 years. We make dream boards. We follow role models on social media, aspiring to be like them someday. We read up on the supplements we should take and other habits that’ll make us feel better, look younger, and live longer.

Of course, the future is totally uncertain. But it *helps* curb existential dread and gives our lives purpose when we make plans.

If only the present is real, perhaps we should practice mindfulness and strive to make every day we can good, joyful, productive, and satisfying.