It is quite true that we are living in the present but we do not stop
with today or stand still. You know that the sun will rise tomorrow and
that you will see it rise. That is, in all probability.
The sun of tomorrow and your rising are future events.
In the present you prepare for tomorrow and continue what you began on
the yesterday. Otherwise you are standing still. No man can proceed if
he must begin over again every tomorrow that comes to him in his life,
he must have done something that can not be completed except in the
future.
That gives him work to do, something at which he can make progress. You
will be of more value tomorrow than you are today because you have
advanced by experience—you have learned something, and so you will learn
something every day and every tomorrow will find an improvement in you.
Your time will be of more value, and your services command a higher
price. You must work things around so that this will happen to you.
To every young man the future holds everything dear to him, his hopes
are all centered on the future. In it he sees a home, a family, honor,
fame perhaps, wealth possibly, comforts and a peaceful old age.
He may bring all these to pass but he must carry them always in his mind
as things to be attained.
We may not know what the future has in store for us, but we can shape
events, our lives and our doings so that we will know something of the
future. When we say we do not know what the future will bring forth, we
do not mean things of our own creation because we do know that much, but
accidentals, and against those dangers we can provide by taking counsel
and making provision to defeat them.