Mystic Lessons: Eternal in the Temporal

One of the greatest mysteries of all is to “Discover the eternal in the temporal.” Of course, many do not believe in the “eternal.” Some believe that all there is to living are the fleeting moments we walk this earth. I think that is far too narrow a view and it does not resonate well with a universe that requires millions of light years for us to view a single star! Rather I think the eternal is what grounds the temporal and gives it meaning.
Please allow me to describe what I mean. If there is no eternality, then the present is all we have. Extrapolated, that means there is no higher purpose or reason for living. Only the existential moment matters. The past becomes irrelevant. The future has no value. Only the now is. If this is the case, then it does not matter what one does or who one is. These are only figments of a society’s collective imagination.
If the past is irrelevant, one’s past transgressions or achievements are insignificant. If the future is valueless, then why strive for goals or avoid offenses? If the present only matters, then do what you will. Have fun or not. Believe or not. Be kind or not. Be faithful or not. Build or destroy. Succeed or fail. Give life or take it. None of it matters.
But, if eternality is reality, then everything matters. If my existence is tied to the past where I was made, the present where I exist, and the future where I may be, then every moment of my life matters. Who my parents were shapes me. Who I marry is significant. Who my children are is important. What I become is relevant. Whom I impact is momentous. And, what I do with every facet of my life for all of my life will matter or not based on the choices I make and the choices I influence.
This is why I take time to make to make decisions. This is why I love to talk to my Mom and Dad on the phone. This is why my heart warms at the laughter of my children. This is why I pause to consider the possibility of a Creator when I view nature or the universe. This why I strive for higher education, a broader circle of friends, lives to touch, and goals to achieve. In all these things I see the eternal moment where everything – yes, everything – matters.