Between The Past And The Future

It's day 146 of documenting 2025.

Monday is for poetry

Do you agree?

(Zip it, rhymey 😒)

Pardon my unusual quip, my friend

I'm just a bit excited today.

Is it the fact that there will be no school tomorrow?

Maybe...

Truth is, I'm committed to my personal development...now more than ever.

Because my future depends on it.

That truth hit me last night.

I had a talk with my dad about a particular matter...nothing serious.

My dad then went down the advice lane...and this time I didn't roll my eyes and say inwardly, "yeah Dad...I know!"

What he said resonated with my thoughts."

Very soon, I'll be on my own.

No Dad to scold me or siblings to drive me crazy...just me and God.

What I do now....

The standards I set now...

Actions I repeat now....

Will go either make or mar me in the future.

And PK (my closest friend) also brought up the point of people with seemingly "good" intentions trying to associate with me...but they have ulterior motives.

He said I should be careful in dealing with such people.

I take it as a simple warning....that certain people may appear nice but they're no good.

Noted 😌

And as I was thinking of all the advice from my dad and PK, I thought of turning all that into poetry.

So, there are two versions of a poem with the same title.

I used the same prompt for both Meta AI and ChatGPT.

You're the judge now, my friend ☺️

Which poem is better?

Which one is more heartfelt?

Let me share the two poems..and I'll tell you my pick.

Poem Title: Between The Past And The Future

📌 Meta AI

Between the Past and the Future

As one chapter closes, another unfolds,

A new beginning dawns, with stories untold.

The past, a teacher, with lessons so dear,

Shaping me, molding me, year by year.

I've walked through shadows, and danced in the light,

Faced trials and tribulations, day and night.

But through it all, I've learned to hold on tight,

To the One who guides me, through life's plight.

In the present, I work on my soul,

Laying foundations, making myself whole.

Standards rise, as I strive to be,

A reflection of God's love, in all humanity.

Visions of the future, a glimpse of what's to come,

A world of possibilities, a life yet to be won.

But I know that the path ahead, requires effort and might,

To turn those visions into reality, and make them take flight.

So I'll focus on the present, on growth and on might,

And trust that the future, will be brighter than today's light.

For I am a work in progress, a story yet untold,

Between the past and the future, my journey unfolds.

This is amazing! 😍

Especially the last two lines...

They just get me.

(Duon...focus!)

Let me not fall yet....

📌 ChatGPT

Between The Past And The Future

by Duon

I’m standing in the hallway

Not quite yesterday,

Not yet tomorrow.

A door behind me creaks closed,

Its echo full of lessons, scars,

Whispers of who I used to be.

The past

It broke me, shaped me,

Taught me how to kneel and pray

When no one else was watching.

It stripped away illusions,

But left behind a soul still willing

To rise again, to try again.

The future

I’ve seen it in dreams,

Golden glimpses wrapped in grace.

A life that sings with meaning,

A self that walks in peace.

But visions don’t build themselves.

So here I am

Laying bricks in silence,

Choosing better thoughts,

Raising my standards like pillars,

Rooting deep in God,

Even when the ground feels shaky.

This is the work that no one sees

The rebuilding, the replanting,

The slow unbecoming

Of everything that held me back.

And I know

If I don't fight now,

If I don’t heal now,

If I don’t believe now,

The future won’t wait around

For me to catch up.

Between the past and the future,

Is me

Becoming.

Mind-blowing! 🥰

The whole poem just describes my thoughts from beginning to the end.

I'm definitely in love with this version.

It's my pick.

Like I said earlier, you're the judge here.

I picked ChatGPT, but you can read through both poems and decide which is better.

If you would like to share your judgement, do so in the comments.

PS. You can be anonymous 😏

That's all about Monday and poetry.

Let's get into Highlights for today.

Quotes from the usual read, which is none other than....

365 Days With Self-discipline

📌 On Decision Avoidance

"I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. 

I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat zoom there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."

Quote by Sylvia Plath

"Not making a decision is also a decision, and usually the worst one. While you’re torn between one choice and another, you’re losing time you could have spent taking action — any action — and then figuring out whether it was the

right choice or not."

"If you’re hesitant about whether you want to pursue a certain goal or not, figure out a low-investment way to get started. 

You can’t get much additional insight by waiting for an excessive period of time, while you can gain an immense amount of knowledge by going ahead and testing the waters."

Blast From The Past

📌 Is There A Good Addiction?

In this post, I wondered if addiction and obsession are the same thing.

I also shared notes I wrote down while reading from Tony's book, Awaken The Giant Within.

And it wasn't a so-long post.

Gimme a break...I was starting out then 😏

You can read the full post here 

This is where I draw the curtains in today's post.

Another day added to the streak!

Thanks for reading, my friend 🎀

I'm sure you learned a thing or two.

You can visit the main site, Documenting 2025  to catch up on posts from last week.

I'll see you there 😉

I'm Duon Ada.

I'm documenting 2025,

And I'll see you tomorrow.

Ciao 💕