Back to the Past or Into the Future?

So, this particular topic takes my mind back to a certain time I wrote on this. I'll be doing that again here. Well, I must say this is a popular discourse. One that some of our responses could be influenced by some of the Sci-fi fictions and movies we've come across. I remember watching some of such movies, where travelling in time was depicted, either back to the past or into the future. It made quite a desire in many of us, especially as kids to explore such a reality.

Say this is possible, and the option is presented to me to go back to the past or to go into the future, travelling in time, what would be my response? It would be a hard one. There are things I look at in the past and considering some of the mistakes, missed or misused opportunities, it makes me want to go back and fix them all, or at least some of them. But I'm left wondering how that would make a change when I return to the present.

All that leaves me thinking, why not let the past be in the past, and whatever has happened should be used as lessons for living, navigating and succeeding in the present life? There's a future ahead to lean to. I understand how much travelling back to the past could mean; maybe a big advantage and just what one might need. It could be to see a lost loved one again, fix some issues, make peace and so on. These are enough to make a person want to travel back to the past.

I guess I might choose travelling into the future. Knowing what lies ahead seems like a good idea, nonetheless, with some disadvantages, I consider. It seems like a better option. I get to see what the future would be like, and that alone seems like a superpower. Oh yes, some superheroes possess that ability. For me, this won't be about just knowing the future, or gallivanting around in the future world, as it certainly will be different. Technology should have developed more, and many other things as well, both positive and negative.

I see that as a head start to a journey. Having this privilege to have a peek into the future should help me direct what I'll put my energy into; financially, personally, and otherwise. However, there's a concerning part of such travel. This is where travelling back to the past could seem more appealing. With the past, I'm well aware of the happenings and going back would be to rectify some things, or to just experience some moments again. With the future, I would be in the dark. And so, I could come across painful, heart-wrenching surprises.

Perhaps, that's why it's said that the future is not ours to know. Peeking into the future and finding out something I might not be ready for could be a greater terror than the beauty of knowing the future to my advantage. In the end, I might just stay in the present. And in the wise words of Master Oogway from King Fu Panda, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”

Images are AI generated.

Thank you for reading through!