Our conscious experience constantly shifts—between past memories, present awareness, and future projections. At times, we find ourselves reflecting on past events, reliving moments stored in memory. Other times, we focus on the present, fully immersed in our thoughts, feelings, and immediate surroundings. And often, we contemplate the future—anticipating events, setting goals, or speculating on what may or may not come to pass.

Interestingly, our minds are also capable of blending these temporal experiences, creating fantasies where the past, present, and future merge seamlessly. Yet, despite these mental journeys, the only true reality we ever experience is the Immediate Present Moment. It is the only moment that exists in our conscious awareness—the only reality we can see, feel, and experience as it happens.

The past, though once real, has already slipped away, becoming intangible and irretrievable. What remains are only memories and physical traces—objects, writings, records—that serve as evidence of what we believe has occurred. Similarly, the future remains unrealized—an abstract projection of possibilities that have yet to materialize. Thus, in the truest sense, the only reality we engage with is the present moment—an ever-moving, transient state of existence where one moment seamlessly flows into the next.

The Human Experience: Freedom and Uncertainty

Unlike other known living creatures, human beings are uniquely capable of abstract thought, self-awareness, and forward-thinking. We are not bound solely by instinct; instead, we can anticipate, plan, and imagine. However, this capacity also brings a profound sense of uncertainty. Unlike animals that live in the immediacy of survival, humans grapple with the existential reality of the unknown future—including the inevitability of life and death.

For many, religious faith provides a source of comfort and guidance in facing this uncertainty. The belief that a higher power—God—knows and determines our fate offers reassurance in confronting the unknown. Faith helps many navigate existential anxieties, offering meaning and purpose in the unpredictable flow of life.

Science and the Vast Unknown

From a scientific perspective, the universe itself embodies uncertainty and motion. Everything we see—the planets, stars, and galaxies—is in constant movement. For instance, our Sun, along with the entire solar system, is orbiting the galactic center of the Milky Way, which contains over 200 billion stars. This journey occurs at an astonishing speed of 118 miles per second, completing a full revolution approximately every 240 million years.

To put this into perspective:

• The human species (Homo sapiens sapiens) has existed for only about 30,000–40,000 years—a mere fraction of cosmic time.
• No human in history has ever experienced the Sun in the exact same cosmic position twice. Each second, the Earth, the Sun, and everything around us are moving into a new, unknown part of space—a journey none of us fully perceive.

The Convergence of Science and Faith

In both science and religion, the concept of the unknown remains a common thread. Science acknowledges the limits of human comprehension in fully grasping the mysteries of the cosmos, while religious traditions affirm that only God or a higher force can truly know what lies beyond our understanding.

Ultimately, whether through faith or scientific inquiry, we arrive at the same profound truth: the future remains unknown and beyond human control. The only certainty is the present moment, and in that, we find the essence of our reality.

Please  note, this is one of the series of blog postings by Mohiuddin Ahmed, under the blog tittle of Existentialperspectives .wordpress.com, created in 2014.  Any unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts and links can be used provided full and clear credit is given to Mohiuddin Ahmed and Existentialperspectives.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.