Perspective

As I was studying Japanese, I saw that the word for last year, zennen, is made up of two kanji: front and year.  The word means last year, or the year before.

It reminded me of my Roman History class in college.  I remember the professor telling us that the Romans viewed history as if they were standing in a river facing downstream.  The future is behind them, flowing round them and into the past.  Their paradigm was the opposite of ours.  Where we see history as fading behind us as we face the oncoming future, ancient Romans learned from the past, because the future couldn't be seen.

The difference in perspective stuck with me.  There is a lot of wisdom in setting your eyes on the lessons of the past, and of your ancestors, and letting the future come as it may.  All to often we get wrapped up in worries about the future.  Sometimes the future looms so large we lose track of the present.  On the other hand, sometimes the present seems so overwhelming, we can't see hope for the future.

Somehow, looking at the past--world history, and the span of my puny life--helps put the present and future into perspective.  No matter where we stand now, nor where what we hope or fear tomorrow will bring, history teaches us this: This too shall pass.