"All you have is today."

[AWANDO OGUTU]

indulgence on the past is absolutely foolish! We don't actually live in the past. Life is for the present and the future.

[DathanReeves]

It's good to remember the past, it helps you decide what to do. It's good to prepare and be ready for the future, otherwise you will be stuck in a loop. But making either of these the focus of your life will bring anxiety and depression. Best focus on today by using your memory of yesterday and your knowledge of tomorrow.

[klwoodford]

I think Duke learned this lesson with time, as his character seemed to grow substantially throughout the novel. I try to live by this but I personally struggle. I find myself worrying about, or even fixated on future predicaments. I try not to dwell in the past so much, just learn from it. Sometimes that is hard to do too.

[Riszell]

You picked one of my favorite quotes from the book. I sometimes like looking back at the past, but sometimes, it just brings back some painful memories. However, you are nothing without your past. So, I wouldn't completely ignore it at any point in time.

Correct! I agree. We learn our lessons from our past and events from the past are part of who we are today.

[Connie Otwani]

Though we are not told how exactly Duke achieved his turn around in lifestyle, his past greatly influenced his present. It is no wonder he could now reach out to the destitute. Our pasts shape us.

[MiziS_1305]

Duke's attitude towards present is quite justified. I too hang on to my past but only for a short time and wondering about my future is none of my concern. I too prefer living in present. I can't have a past to cherish if I don't revel in my present.

[mcfeealexis]

I think for his type of lifestyle it was appropriate to have that mentality of not knowing what will happen tomorrow so live for today. For me and the type of life i am living I have to plan for the next day but I will never look back.

[LarissaRunamuck]

Regardless of how much someone may want to live in the current moment (carpe diem and all that), the past and the future cannot be ignored no matter how hard you try. The past still exists as a foundation for who we are. Our experiences and our past actions act as the blueprints for our personality and have weight in terms of who we will become. Our future still exists in our personal timeline even if we choose not to worry about it in the time being. The future, and which way our future will go, still matters in the present because it is largely determined by our desires and our fears and everything that motivates us.

[Cristal2408]

It's a beautiful quote. There really is no time like the present. It reminded me of a speech by Steve Jobs where he said he asked himself every morning: "If today were the last day of my life, would I wanna do what I'm about to do today?"

[Jacki Mac Iver Hill]

I don't worry about the future too much and I wouldn't really classify myself as being stuck in the past. However I don't agree that "yesterday is just a memory."

What I mean when I say I don't agree that "yesterday is just a memory" is that certain memories carry with them negative feelings. And even though I do try to liberate myself from old negative feelings, try as I might sometimes I can't. Sometimes they're just as real today as they were when they were created. So to me that's not just a memory.

I don't know if that made much sense... But I do agree that all you have is today.

[Bruin Dez]

The struggle that I have is thinking about the past and stressing over the future. It's a constant battle in my mind that keeps me up at night. I try to consciously just relax, let the past go, and enjoy the present. It's a process that I have to continually remind myself to do otherwise I get lost in my deep thoughts of regret and anxiety. I was not always this way, so I want to get back to living life to its fullest and really just enjoying the moment.

[Surakshita-11]

I think Duke tried his best to live in present but no one is unaffected from memories of past and so was he.

The best thing is always keep trying to be in present and look forward to future with great expectations and hope.This is what I believe in.

[Sarah_Khan]

In this day and age I don't think we can live in the present as much as we want to. Even though tomorrow is never guaranteed, there has to be some part of us that plans for the future, otherwise it's almost guaranteed we will have no future. (Like taking drugs and wasting money)

[Ibeh12]

I think Duke dwelt much in his past, he seemed to not want to let go of it, possibly because he does not believe himself enough to take full advantage of the change that each present moment presents.

I believe in the present because that is the only reality a person can influence.

[prinjeh18]

Everyday is a gift from God, yesterday is a reflection onwards and tomorrow is full of surprises. So, better live with a smile.