Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
We all worry about the future. It's uncertain and unpredictable.
But you know what is more unpredictable?
Our own future-self.
In our sub-conscious, we attach way too much importance to who we are - in the present. We assume erroneously that things that constitute our unique identity today - our dreams and aspirations, our ideology, our likes and dislikes, our hopes and fears - have always been and will always be like this.
I was struck with this realisation recently while flipping through some of my old journals:
A lot of what I held on to so dearly a decade back does not matter to me today.
Some seemingly 'carved-in stone' convictions today seem plain foolish.
Something that I badly craved for back then makes me cringe today.
Some of my biggest fears never materialized and today they don't even bother me.
Some dreams never came true and today I am happy they didn't. Some did and today I am sad because I know I was probably shooting way below my potential.
***
Yes, of course the world and my circumstances have changed a lot during these years.
But the undeniable truth is: I have changed a lot more.
I am probably not the same individual I was a decade or even a year back.
In retrospect, I am glad I didn't go all-in on that one conviction that at some point in time I thought was my life's destiny. I might have realised the destiny and hated it. Or may be not. I don't know. Will never know.
***
And that to me is the most beautiful thing about life.
While we think we are God's masterpiece, in reality we are always a work-in-progress.
While we think we have arrived, we are always a step away from another destination that we know nothing about.
We just need to keep going and enjoy the journey and it's detours, without ever taking ourselves too seriously.
That's all there is to it.
#past #future #life #reflection #yearend