“The power of memories and expectations is such that for most human beings, the past and the future are not as real, but rather more real than the present.”

-- Alan Watts

I asked in my journaling, “Why do I write?” and here’s the answer that emerged:

I write as an artist who sees the intricate detail of minds interacting with other minds, seeking mirrors of familiarity. Often, we project our thoughts and feelings, creating misunderstandings and misinterpreting the other person’s reactions and realities. We are, after all, the sum total of our judgments of our life experiences, from womb to grave. It is a personal reality often seeking validation in a world full of infinite costumes, masks and self created realities.

There remains the final series of questions I have asked myself. Who am I? What am I here for and where am I going? Ultimately, it is about peeling away the layers of story until there is nothing left but an empty page to be written on with TODAY in the NOW, to be lived without personalizing the moments, but simply observing and experiencing without judgment. It is an end to the past and letting each new moment expand our consciousness as we in this way, continue to learn, grow and evolve.

The past becomes the illusion, nothing more than excess baggage. Letting go of the baggage results in inner peace, freedom, peace of mind and moving on to explore new ideas, new friendships and relationships, meeting new challenges, fearlessly. It means accepting change as inevitable. It is my choice for living and an opportunity to mature.

~ Gemma Halpern

“Dwell not on the past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind. Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time.”

-- Eileen Caddy