THE PAST IS GONE FOREVER, MOVE AHEAD!

There is a popular saying among most Historians, Archaeologists and Sociologists alike that the past is a prelude to the future. But what if our past had been riddled with failures, inconsistencies, excuses and redundancy? Does it now invariably translate into a bleak future for such individuals? I think we should holistically evaluate where we are coming from and its effects on where we are now and where we are going to.

By brooding and thinking over the past and the problems associated with it, we may even loose resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm purpose do not actually duel much on the past, they always think about the present because the past is gone and done with; sadness cannot retrieve it back, being withdrawn cannot put things in right perspective and depression will never bring the past back to life. "He don happen, he don happen". The past is actually a non existent entity, why duel much on it when you have the present and the future to grapple with?

One of my favorite Arabian authors, Aaidh Ibn Abdullah Al-Qarni in his book, 

"Don't Be sad" rightly set the perspective right about dwelling on the past when he said,

"Do not live in the nightmares of former times or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghostly apparition of the past. Do you think that you can return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to its mother's womb, milk to the breast, or tears to the eyes? By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic state of mind. Reading too much into the past is a waste of the present. Former days are gone and done with, and you benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy over them. Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present: neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings, if all men where to try jointly to bring back the past, they will fail because that is an impossibility. Everything on earth matches forward, preparing for a new season... so should you".

I'm impressing it upon the young men of our country not to loose faith, the past few years may have been really tough but we shouldn't dwell so much on it, we must live in contemporary realities... today is here, what are we going to make of it? This should be the pertinent question on our lips, because if we fail to answer this question, tomorrow will come and go like every other, and the circle of pains and depression continues.

Most of my acquaintances frequently inquire why am not perturbed by events around me and why am so  comfy where I am, even as things are not moving where we want them to be. But I often encourage them not to loose sleep over situations that are overtly out of our influence and control. You must not loose sleep over events you can not change. You did not get the contract, it's okay, another will come, you need funding for a project and it's not forthcoming, never loose hope. But when the doors are not opening, its imperative we create our own doors and become our own gate keepers.

As we await further directives from president M. Buhari, I urge all esteem readers to continue to adhere to health officials advice of maintaining physical distancing, stay home as much as possible, wash your hands and sanitize frequently as well as maintaining high level of personal. hygiene. Covid 19 is here to stay for a long time and we must accept the present reality and adjust promptly.

Adamu Deco Suleman

decosule@gmail.com