Have you ever found yourself caught in a mental tug-of-war? It is so easy to drift backward, replaying old mistakes like a movie we never asked to watch, or to sprint forward, worrying about shadows that haven't even appeared yet. Sadi Shirazi’s beautiful words remind us that the past and the future are essentially ghosts. The past is a memory that no longer exists in physical form, and the future is a collection of possibilities that haven't arrived. The only thing that is truly, undeniably ours is this very moment, right here, right now.
In our busy everyday lives, we often treat the present like a waiting room. We tell ourselves we will be happy when the weekend arrives, or when the project is finished, or when we finally reach that big milestone. We treat the 'now' as something to be endured rather than something to be inhabited. We are so busy preparing for a future that is still unwritten that we forget to breathe in the air that is currently filling our lungs. We miss the warmth of the sun on our skin or the taste of our morning coffee because our minds are miles away.
I remember a time when I was feeling quite overwhelmed by a big change in my life. I spent weeks mourning the way things used to be and terrified of how things would turn out. I was physically sitting in my favorite garden chair, but mentally, I was lost in a storm of 'what ifs.' It wasn't until I forced myself to stop and simply notice the rhythmic sound of the wind in the trees and the weight of my tea mug in my hands that the panic began to fade. I realized that while I couldn't change the past or control the future, I could certainly find peace in the stillness of that single afternoon.
As your friend BibiDuck, I want to remind you that you don't have to carry the weight of yesterday or the anxiety of tomorrow. You are allowed to just exist in the present. It is the only place where you can actually take action, express love, and experience true joy. When life feels heavy, try to bring your focus back to your senses. What can you see, touch, or hear right this second? Let yourself settle into the only possession you truly own: this beautiful, fleeting moment.