The past is like a file cabinet, hard drive or cloud that holds our memories of the past.

The best way to deal with the past is to access it on-demand, get what we are after, then close the file and return to the present.

The future is unpredictable and unknowable.

The best way to visit the future is for planning purposes. But when we find that we are spending too much time in the future, immediately return to the present.

And what is the present?

It is not a place where we mindlessly disregard past memories or future dreams.  It is a place where we choose to focus our attention to drain every moment of happiness from what is happening now.

The past is a history book.

The future is a promissory note.

The present is cash in hand.