Danyelle Catoe- Living in the past

Earlier, I mentioned the idea of enjoying the present instead of constantly planning for the future. In Lewis’s space trilogy, Ransom is challenged to savor a memory instead of constantly trying to repeat a memory. Lewis raises a good point; it can be detrimental for a person to constantly seek to repeat and improve an experience. Sometimes, it is best to simply remember the joy that was initially experienced. However, it is important to approach memories with caution as well.
I believe Lewis was trying to draw people’s attention to the fact that too many people don’t enjoy experiences, but constantly search for a new high. He was trying to point out that, while it is beneficial to appreciate a good experience, it is also important to simply enjoy the memory instead of constantly trying to replicate the memory. However, I believe it is also important to emphasize the importance of living in the future, and not dwelling in the past. It can be beneficial to enjoy a memory or learn from an experience; but it is also essential to experience the present, and not dwell on the past or constantly look to the future.
Recently, I was reading Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. This book outlines the importance of being intentional with one’s time and living in the present. While it is definitely important to plan for the future and learn from the past, people often get caught up in these two ideas and completely forget to live in the present! It is essential that we learn to live in the present. It sounds like a very simply concept, but it is much more difficult than it first appears. We must reprogram ourselves to stop planning for the future and dwelling on the past; we must learn to simply live for the present. It is not bad to plan for the future or learn from the past! But, it is detrimental to stay there. If we waste the present, what are we gaining from the past, and how are we contributing to the future? We must learn to use the time that we have now, and use it wisely.