The Past, Present & Future

Ahhh yes. The complicated relationship between these three aspects of one's life has been on my mind recently. Then in one of my English courses we are studying an epic poem, written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, entitled Aurora Leigh. In the opening there is a simply lovely stanza, written beatifully, from a woman to a man:

 "As when you paint your portrait for a friend,
Who keeps it in a drawer and looks at it
Long after he has ceased to love you, just
To hold together what he was and is."

To hold together what you were and are. That is the whole point of the past, is it not? To realize who you were then and who you are now. It is complicated in that some times, it is vital we keep them separate, yet other time it is equally necessary that they be looked at together.
There was a time in the summer where I had no idea what the future held or what I wanted it to consist of, and I was so bogged down in the past, I honestly didn't want to look ahead to the 'scary unknown'. Then a good friend of mine said this to me and I liked it so much I wrote it down on a trusty index card at work during the summer, and you will see that it fits every kind of situation. (The card is now at my desk at home so that I always see it! :) ) - "There is no point in shying away from tomorrow, just because you regret what happened yesterday." This is when holding on to the past can have a negative effect, as I have seen it happen personally in my own life. Don't confuse and mix together the past with the future!
However, if one was to entirely forget the past and all that they have learned from it, their present and future would be very different indeed. The past has got you to the present and what you do in the present becomes the foundation for your future. Enjoy the memories you have, live today with no regrets and plan for your future! Leave me your thoughts on the matter! The following are just some quotes I have enjoyed...