When Will Then Be Now?
The question of “when will then be now” is not uncommon along a given path.
The other night, we were watching Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs.
There is a fantastic scene in the movie where Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and Col. Sanders (George Wyner) – while searching for the protagonists – turn to Spaceballs: The Video Tape to find them.
During this scene, confused by seeing themselves “now” on the video screen, They have the following exchange.
“Everything that happens now is happening now.
What happened to then?
We passed it.
When?
Just now. We’re at now, now.
Go back to then!
When?
Now.
Now?
Now!
We can’t.
Why?
We missed it.
When?
Just now.
When will then be now?
Soon!”
While this is hilarious – it’s also a stunningly accurate description of how life works. Now is the only time that is really, truly real. We passed then just now – but then will be now soon.
Confusing? Of course it is. That’s because linear time is an illusion – yet we struggle to maintain something of a balance between the past, present, and future.
But the reality is that we can’t. Because now is the only now that is legit and for real.
How much have I confused you here?
This has been something I’ve been trying to comprehend entirely for years now. It’s complicated because, like everyone else, I live within the “limits” of human perception of linear time.
Thus – I have a past, I’m in the present, and consider the future.
Rather than just let life live me, and go with the flow, I strive to find and/or create my own paths in life to traverse. Doing so requires recognition of the Law of Attraction, conscious reality creation, and mindfulness to gain control over it all.
Still with me?
Every single text I have ever read or listened to that explores how the Law of Attraction and conscious reality creation works expresses the importance and power of being in the present. Right here, right now, is the only truly real time that exists.
The past is based in memory – and it’s always colored by the individual. Hence, some people desire a return to a happier, more Leave it to Beaver-esque time – while others remember how those like them during that same time were segregated, persecuted, and worse.
The future, meanwhile, is utterly unwritten. No matter how much you plan for it – random happenstance can change it. When I left my apartment on the afternoon of November 30, 1999, I did not anticipate that I’d get hit by a car and spend the next year of my life recovering from that.
Because of these factors – right now, this present moment, is the most real time that there is. When will then be now? Past or future, it will be wholly dependent on you and your thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions.
Mindfulness of then, now
Mindfulness of “then” can be convoluted. Because mindfulness in its most practical, applicable sense is all about the present moment.
Mindfulness is conscious awareness of your inner being. It’s knowledge, here and now, of your mindset/headspace/psyche inner self.
That is achieved, ultimately, by conscious, present awareness of your sensory input – coupled with your thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions. A conscious awareness only applicable to now.
Why only now? Because I can’t offer more than vague impressions about any time in my life from the past. No matter how clear the memory – the specifics of thoughts, feelings, and actions – then – are just memories or impressions – and not accurate.
Likewise, how exactly I will think, feel, act, or intend in the future is unknown. I can guess – but there are factors outside my control that will impact the now of then.
I can ask myself “What am I thinking?” and get a clear answer, now. But if I ask, “What was I thinking then?” I’ll have to dig around – and other factors of then will impact what I think I was thinking at the time. But it’s the past – so I don’t truly know.
Along the same line – I can ask “How am I feeling?” and get a clear answer, now. But asking “How will I feel then?” about a future situation, I can only guess. Numerous factors out of my control will happen, then. It’s the future – full of unknown potential and possibility.
I’m not suggesting that you completely disregard and ignore the then of the past. Now, the past then can teach you lessons applicable now.
Similarly, I’m not suggesting disregarding or ignoring planning for the future. Looking ahead to then from now can offer directions to choose now.
When will then be now? Soon!
I have all the power
Like watching Spaceballs: The Video Tape, I can control fast-forward, rewind, and adjust the speed of play when it comes to the past and future of my life.
But now – now is now. It happens, now. And right here and now I am capable of making choices and decisions to take my life in numerous different directions. If there is a then I am looking forward to or working on finding and/or creating – then will be now, soon. But I need to start from now, now.
This can be super confusing. But, ultimately, it’s incredibly empowering. Why? Because when I am here, now, and consciously aware – I can write my story. The choices and decisions of now will drive my life to then – by recognizing and acknowledging now and its importance to everything.
One of the reasons so many leaders place emphasis more on the past or future is to take us out of the now. When more people are in the now – more people are empowered. When we’re empowered, we find we don’t need quite so much of the “leadership” our so-called leaders offer. Which – when you and I are empowered – disempowers them.
The point here is that the question of “when will then be now?” isn’t uncommon along a given path. Now being the only time we’re ever truly consciously aware, being mindful of the now, now, empowers us.
Once we get past the confusion, the empowerment is palpable.
This is why I choose to find and/or create my own life paths. Because being empowered gives me control of my life – now. Which helps bring a future then into now, now.
Can you see how then will be now, soon?
This is the five-hundred and fifth exploration of my Pathwalking philosophy. These weekly essays are ideas for – and my personal experiences with – mindfulness and walking along a chosen path of life to consciously create reality.
I share this journey as part of my desire to make a difference in this world along the way. Additionally, I desire to empower myself and my readers with conscious reality creation.
Thank you for joining me. Feel free to re-blog and share this.
The first year of Pathwalking, including expanded ideas, is available here. My additional writing, both fiction and non-fiction, are available here.
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