Living in yesterday, living for tomorrow

So where does that leave today?

“I have everything I wanted back then,” my friend told me the other day.

“Now I just have new worries.”

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In 1851, German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer wrote a reminder that human experience transcends generations and geographies:

“We are always living in expectation of better things, at the same time we often repent and long to have the past back again. We look upon the present as something to be put up with while it lasts, and serving only as the way towards our goal.

“Hence most people, if they glance back when they come to the end life, will find that all along they have been living ad interim.

“They will be surprised to find the very thing they disregarded and let slip by unenjoyed was the life in the expectation of which they passed all their time.”

I’m going to step away for a second.

I suggest you read that again.

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“We are always living in expectation of better things…”

Is this true for you? Are you always looking at a goal and saying, “When I get it, then I’ll be happy?”

Are you always looking at a date 2 weeks away? “Once I get through this stretch, I’ll finally be able to relax.”

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“At the same time we often repent and long to have the past back again.”

While you have one foot in the future, are you always stretching out your other to reach for the past?

Are you forgetting what you said back then about finally being satisfied once you get what you have now?

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“We look upon the present as something to be put up with while it lasts, and serving only as the way towards our goal.”

Are you treating today as nothing more than an stepping stone to tomorrow’s goal? 

And when tomorrow comes, will you treat it just like you treated today?

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“Most people, if they glance back when they come to the end of life, will find that all along they have been living ad interim.”

Ad interim = in the meantime.

That is, when you look back at your life, do you want it to be a collection of a few dates marked by achievements?

Or do you want it to be a collection of experiences that had everything to do with the journey and nothing to do with the destination?

Do you want to derive joy and satisfaction from a few moments?

Or from millions?

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“They will be surprised to find that the very thing they disregarded and let slip by unenjoyed was just the life in the expectation of which they passed their time.”

You let nostalgia trick you into longing for a past that wasn’t as glamorous as you remember.

You let ambition trick you into dreaming about a future that won’t be as fulfilling as you think.

So how could you possibly ever appreciate today?

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“So you know what I’ve realized?” my friend continued.

“No matter what you do, you’ll never be satisfied.

“So do whatever you want. But make sure you enjoy it.”