“No one can lose the past or the future. How can you be deprived of what you don’t own?” — Marcus Aurelius
At first glance, Marcus seems to be stating the obvious: the past is gone, the future is yet to come, and time isn’t ours to own.
But he’s also making a more important point: every person, no matter what their age or accomplishments, has exactly the same thing to lose.
Whether you’ve lived a few days or a hundred years, the only time you own is this moment, right now. Whether you’re a billionaire or a pauper, you can only lose this instant in time.
By embracing the present, you engage with the only time you can actually influence. This is where life happens, in the continuous flow of “now.”
You’ve already lost the past, and the future isn’t guaranteed. So focus on the present and embrace what’s happening right in front of you, in this moment.