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You Can Never Look Back

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posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 01:23 AM
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Many moons ago when I was in college studying Physics I became very interested in the concept of "time". Time plays an interesting role in our world, much more so than most understand, especially when we start exploring the relative elements of the universe. Theoretical Physics, and Relativity in particular, was something I was profoundly interested in.

I could probably bore a snail with some of my ramblings on this subject, but I'll keep it light here.

At one point I came upon the notion "a person can never look backwards in time". In as many words; "You can never look back".

Memories of loved ones are fine, but that's not the point. So many dwell on the past, but you can never look back. Life is defined by looking forward in time, not backward.

Somehow, I adopted this mantra. Some might call it spiritual, I don't know.

Indeed history defines the future, and I have no doubt of this, but as a person, a human being, we cannot dwell on the past. We can use history as a guideline, but it is just that...history. The past.

Through all the trails and tribulations of life I have realized I built an entire life on never looking back. Somehow, it has served me. I believe in today and tomorrow, not yesterday. Our future and all our "hope" depends on how we see tomorrow.

I can remember when I used to tell friends this theme, they would say I was misguided, but I never strayed. In time they all came around.

All we have...all we have...is tomorrow. We can never capture yesterday, but in a memory; a story perhaps.

There is only tomorrow.

And...we can never look back, but for a glance to compare our virtues against those who have both succeeded and failed.

We can never look back.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 01:35 AM
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the past is just a myth and the future is just pure fantasy, there is only life now. right now.a reply to: Flyingclaydisk



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 01:39 AM
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I'm not sure I'm on quite the same page but I think this is relevant to the discussion.

I always used to think of having better times 'in the future' until I realised that I was having a pretty lousy time in the present.

I stopped deferring my happiness until 'the future' and started enjoying my self in the 'now' more.

By all means learn from the past and plan for the future but remember the importance of the 'now'.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 01:55 AM
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a reply to: berenike

Your point is a really good point, and it is right on the mark. (actually)

You are absolutely correct; you cannot "wait" for the future (I've been guilty of this), but rather you must live in the moment...knowing only tomorrow will be better, only if you make it so. You can never wish for tomorrow, much the same as you can't for yesterday.

So, yes, I agree.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 02:53 AM
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Optimism in perspective is in reverence to ones own confidence. It's a natural state of resonance in tune with the power principle of all living things. However, this state in itself is only half truth. A Yin to the Yang, a light to the dark and by polarizing this state, one is in fact unconsciously creating the other.

An extreme example of this is easily found within the personality traits of the stereotypical psychopath. The opposite being a paranoid delusional manic depressive individual, which in many cases is brought into being having suffered abuse and trauma from the former.

Another example is the totality of modern mankind's strive to achieve at the expense of the natural world and his fellow man.

Point being, past, present and future are all relevant and meaningful within the scope of our reality and it's no mistake that we are able to perceive each respectively. Appreciating the harmonious total encompassing state of 'now' is only truly achieved when one actualizes their scope through accepting the responsibility of both amending the past and confidently preparing for the future. This can't be done solely looking ahead.
edit on 10-12-2016 by rexsblues because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 03:46 AM
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originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
Many moons ago when I was in college studying Physics I became very interested in the concept of "time". Time plays an interesting role in our world, much more so than most understand, especially when we start exploring the relative elements of the universe. Theoretical Physics, and Relativity in particular, was something I was profoundly interested in.

I could probably bore a snail with some of my ramblings on this subject, but I'll keep it light here.

At one point I came upon the notion "a person can never look backwards in time". In as many words; "You can never look back".

Memories of loved ones are fine, but that's not the point. So many dwell on the past, but you can never look back. Life is defined by looking forward in time, not backward.

Somehow, I adopted this mantra. Some might call it spiritual, I don't know.

Indeed history defines the future, and I have no doubt of this, but as a person, a human being, we cannot dwell on the past. We can use history as a guideline, but it is just that...history. The past.

Through all the trails and tribulations of life I have realized I built an entire life on never looking back. Somehow, it has served me. I believe in today and tomorrow, not yesterday. Our future and all our "hope" depends on how we see tomorrow.

I can remember when I used to tell friends this theme, they would say I was misguided, but I never strayed. In time they all came around.

All we have...all we have...is tomorrow. We can never capture yesterday, but in a memory; a story perhaps.

There is only tomorrow.

And...we can never look back, but for a glance to compare our virtues against those who have both succeeded and failed.

I use flying clay discs to build ancient monoliths while progressing backwards across perfection and prove that im the first born every #ing thing. Spaceships cheap as #.

We can never look back.




posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 04:15 AM
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Time may not really exist and be a mere man made construct which is merely used to give purpose or reasoning to a sequence of events in the realities of those who are contained within without which there is no reasoning or meaning to a construct that can neither be touched, managed or controlled which in itself suggests its non-existence! Reality and nonexistent time is a conundrum!! Confused because I am. Nevertheless, a challenge to what is stated is welcome but not expected. But why?
edit on 10-12-2016 by RP2SticksOfDynamite because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 04:25 AM
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I make little houses out of conundrums. You better start #ing paying me or ill make airfoils generate lift topside.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 04:30 AM
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"Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, "Don't look back. You can never look back"
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go....but...

- Don Henley

"Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape ... But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."

- Some distance from Sodom



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 04:41 AM
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a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Maybe your title should be: You Should Never Look Back.

While I agree that living in the past is a waste of energy, it does not prevent people from doing so.

Those who say there only exists a "present" may be correct, but the concept of a "past" and a "future" are useful, nonetheless. The past allows for reflection; the future for motivation.


edit on 10/12/2016 by Dark Ghost because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 05:42 AM
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a reply to: Flyingclaydisk


If a person has been a perfect person since exiting the womb, then, yeah, forward into the dawn without a qualm.


But let's not kid ourselves. We all do terribly wrong things to ourselves, other people, the environment and lesser creatures.


To not look back and attempt to gain an insight into who we really are and how our future activities and thinking should be directed is the upmost height of being a narcissist.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 06:10 AM
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In recovery we're told we can look at the past but don't stare at it. The past can freeze progress to move into the future.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 07:46 AM
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a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, "Don't look back. You can never look back"
- Don Henley, Boys of Summer
edit on 10-12-2016 by Skid Mark because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 09:35 AM
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a reply to: Skid Mark

I always loved that song for just that reason.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 10:02 AM
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a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
When I saw your thread title the song popped into my head. I just had to post that part.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 10:12 AM
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But if we don't look back, aren't we doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again?

Can't looking back help make predictions for the future?



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 10:29 AM
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originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
All we have...all we have...is tomorrow. We can never capture yesterday, but in a memory; a story perhaps.


Your post reminded me of the saying ....

*The past is history, the future is a mystery, today is a gift ... that's why its

called the present.*


Reminding me to live NOW - building up a past which will give me a future

I can be proud of.

My personal perception of time, like many things has changed with the decades,

I think as you get older you realise this.



There is only tomorrow.


There comes a time for everyone when they realise that there are no more

tomorrows, or very few of them - (and this creeps up on one gathering speed) -

So they had better have a good past to look back on, and in that respect few

reqrets?



And...we can never look back, but for a glance to compare our virtues against those who have both succeeded and failed.
We can never look back.


There comes a time when we can only look back, so we need to leave

something of value to look back on?



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 11:07 AM
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a reply to: eletheia



*The past is history, the future is a mystery, today is a gift ... that's why its called the present*


Great saying!! I like that!!

I don't recall ever having heard that expression.

I don't disagree with your observations, but I would only observe that there is a time and a place. In other words, it is a function of time. So...there comes a time when living in the present is reflecting on the past (similar to what you said). The main difference being, it is one of the final stages of life. To engage in this too prematurely is to err.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 11:09 AM
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a reply to: Prezbo369

Hence the statement...



And...we can never look back, but for a glance to compare our virtues against those who have both succeeded and failed.



posted on Dec, 10 2016 @ 12:06 PM
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originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
I believe in today and tomorrow, not yesterday. Our future and all our "hope" depends on how we see tomorrow.


Ahem brotha....I often daydream about where I will be in the future or what the future will look like for me. I don't like dwelling on yesterday because tomorrow is a new day...just like buying a new pair of clothes, I do look forward to it.

Act in the present but think in the future.
So many of my friends and family thought I was weird in this way. Even though remembering past events sometimes is a challenge...my mindset has always been involved in statistical calculations and probabilities and chances of events occurring/not occurring. And somehow I have proven myself right 90% of the time by thinking positively.

I like your thread. S&F




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