The elusive and ephemeral nature of time and what we do with it

I’ve always had trouble with NOW.
I’m generally so preoccupied with LATER
and what I’m going to do later
that I forget to experience NOW.

I’m also dogged by WAS,
frequently lamenting WAS
and what could have been.

It seems that WAS
often has an extraordinary effect on LATER.

As I shape my lessons learned
into better approaches for LATER,
these lessons occasionally help to shape NOW,
but only when I’m not too busy with WAS…
or LATER.

NOW is constantly annoyed by the intrusions
on his ephemeral existence by WAS and LATER.

There are also many disconcerting interruptions
by HAVE TOs.

Can’t the interlopers understand that NOW
is happening regardless of whether
or not they are respecting its presence?

No matter how much attention is paid
to planning for LATER,
pining over WAS,
or distractions by HAVE TOs,
NOW just slips on by, often unnoticed,
to join the ranks of the WAS
and its major faction,
SHOULD HAVEs.