Days of Future Past
If you want to sit in the shade you need to plant a tree. The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is now.
Mason, Josh, Grace, Porter, Hannah, Lindsey
“Days of Future Passed” – album by Moody Blues
If I anticipate a future event and it happens, that future event would then have passed.
Not to be confused with “Days of Future Past” – X-men
If I could travel to the past, my past would now be in the future and would not yet have happened.
I don’t know if either of these titles was intended to have meaning or if the meaning that I have attributed to them is correct but they serve to introduce an idea that I have been pondering for a while.
Let’s say that sometime in the future you become famous and the news media are looking at your life to dig up dirt, but instead of dirt they find things you have done that show even when you were young you were a person of character. What would you want those things to be?
When Ben Franklin was young he pondered this very thing. He wrote the following in his autobiography.
“It was about this time I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. … As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined.”
To help keep himself on track Franklin made a list of virtues he wanted to live by.
Temperance – Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
Silence – Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
Order – Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
Resolution – Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Frugality – Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
Industry– Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Sincerity – Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Justice – Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Moderation– Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Cleanliness – Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
Tranquillity – Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
Chastity – Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
Humility – Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
What wonderful things can you accomplish now so that in the future you will look back fondly on the past? Do you have a list of principles that guide your choices?
When I was 30 something I made my list. I have followed the list with varying degrees of success.
Values
Purpose– I have chosen the right course and I am pursuing that course with enthusiasm, courage, and vision.
Happiness– I have a positive experience daily. I look for the humour in life.
Order– I am organized both in the use of my time and the order of my possessions. I pay attention to detail.
Awareness– I seek out, recognize and seize opportunity.
Integrity– I am honest and fair in my dealings with others.
Urgency– I have developed a creative impatience, a burning desire to achieve, to succeed, a competitiveness with myself. I will not die with my music still in me.
Assertiveness– I am bold but not overbearing; I bridle all my passions that I might be filled with love.
Innovation– I take time to dream, think, concentrate and meditate. I diligently seek inspired solutions to life’s challenges.
Faith– I seek daily to improve my relationship with my Saviour.
Literacy– I read for knowledge and write to clarify my thinking. I take time to communicate clearly.
Kindness– I am courteous, caring and enjoy helping others.
Resolution- I “Never give up.” I “Never, never give up!”
What are you waiting for?
For those with Apple Music here is a link to “Nights in White Satin”, a song from the Moody Blues album, “Days of Future Passed”.