Most of us instinctively say the future. And honestly, that makes sense. Survival, growth, achievement almost everything we chase has its roots in what lies ahead. We imagine outcomes, set goals, and plan our days so that tomorrow looks a little better than today. Thinking about the future gives direction to the present. But the future alone is not enough.
To act meaningfully now, we need two quiet companions: lessons from the past and intention for the future. The present moment becomes productive only when it is shaped by what we have already learned and where we want to go. Unless we work today, tomorrow remains a wish. And unless we reflect on yesterday, today risks repeating the same mistakes.
When we think in terms of time, the future often feels the most important because it is tied to survival and achievement. Yet, ignoring the past makes us restless and incomplete. Past milestones, failures, and small wins teach us how to move ahead with clarity. Without that reflection, it’s hard to stay motivated, optimistic, or even satisfied with progress.!
This idea stayed with me from my college days, when I watched a short play called Come and Go. The play is minimal—three women, a bench, brief conversations—but deeply unsettling. One woman leaves, the remaining two whisper about her. Then another leaves, and the pattern repeats. In the end, all that remains is silence. There is an unspoken sense of time passing. Secrets accumulate. Lives are shaped as much by what is unsaid as by what is said.
What struck me then and still does now is how the play quietly reminds us that past, present, and future coexist. What happened before affects what is spoken now. What is spoken now shapes what will never be said later.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_and_Go
Even while writing this piece, I relied on all three tenses. The past gave me experiences and memories to draw from. The future gave me intent, why this reflection should matter to the reader. And the present is where the words finally came together. Perhaps the question is not whether we think more about the future or the past.
Perhaps the real answer lies in balance.
The past to learn.
The future to aim for.
And the present to act.
All three are bound together and walking forward becomes possible only when we let them move in step.
words panorama 