There's this hymn we use to sing in Sunday school titled "oh God our help in ages past". In one of the verses it starts with "time like an ever rolling stream..." and that phrase has stuck with me for the longest time.
Time keeps going, regardless of your plans, dreams and aspirations, time doesn't stop. The only time you have to do anything is now and future value may not necessarily exist to you, even if we're also told to budget for it.
The uncertainty of tomorrow is a concept that has always baffled me. On one hand, you can't spend all you have today, even though today is all you have.
You have to keep a broad perspective that will accommodate a tomorrow that you're not certain about.
Keeping it simple
Perhaps this is the reason why I've strived to avoid things that complicate my life. It makes life pretty basic but I'm hardly ever stressed.
When it comes to investment though, I've found that there's no way to be simple. With investing, it is ALWAYS a complicated gamble with your today funds on an uncertain tomorrow.
Even the "sure bets" aren't sure anymore. Take Cubs current drop from high prices in recent times. Sometimes that's just how it goes;, things start huge and then drop in value. However, future value, that you may not even partake of could in fact present an opportunity for you.
No one can win against time. You can plan it out and hope for the best but winning is practically impossible. Personally, I try to mitigate my losses against time.
I set things up in a way where I'll lose the least in this uphill battle with time. "Losing the least" loosely translates to winning, depending on how you see it.
Regardless of your plans and dreams, time keeps rolling. It doesn't stop to catch it's breath or go to the toilet, it'll keep spinning until everything you use to know is no more. No one is safe.