I'm sitting on a long train journey to Edinburugh looking out of the window in a rear facing seat. As my wife and I look out the window she observed that we were watching everything in reverse, whilst the couple opposite us were seeing it forwards. Different perspectives on the same scene. I would refer to it as we are looking at the past, where we have already been. Whereas the forward facing passengers are looking at the future, at where we are going.
We were wondering what the analogy is and what lesson this experience could show us. My next thought is that both views are looking in the wrong direction. Both observations are looking out of the side of the train. Neither are exactly where we have been or where we are going but more importantly they are not where we are, now. All of us are only ever located in the present. In the time, space and mental state of the now. A brief, short place that is constantly changing. That is the place that we live our lives in and have all of our experiences.
We can look to the past and future but we will never be there. The past is just the thoughts we are rembering about. Whereas the future is merely projected thoughts about what may happen.
To conclude, I hope you are able to take away the gift of the present. My richest experiences have been when I've been fully experiencing that moment. Not worried about the future or focussed on capturing the moment for social media. Not reliving old photos or reading the stories of others lives. Rather, being aware and taking note of everything that right now has to offer. Just me and the moment.
On that note, I guess it is time to stop writing and for us to enjoy the rest of our journey.
