--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have a mantra that kind of explains my…" description: "\"I have a mantra that kind of explains my feelings on this subject, which is, \"The past is the present is the future.\" When you're recording something, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/will-oldham-7702_feelings_i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my_2744657.png" --- # I have a mantra that kind of explains my feelings on this… ![“I have a mantra that kind of explains my feelings on this subject, which is, "The past is the present is the future." When you're recording something, you're making something that will exist in the future.” quote by Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/will-oldham-7702_feelings_i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my_2744657.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/will-oldham-7702_feelings_i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my_2744657.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/will-oldham-7702_feelings_i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my_2744657.png) > “I have a mantra that kind of explains my feelings on this subject, which is, "The past is the present is the future." When you're recording something, you're making something that will exist in the future.” [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sees time as a continuum where past, present, and future are interconnected, especially in creation. **In simple terms:** Time is linked; creating now shapes future. Key Takeaway Create with awareness of lasting impact. Themes creativity temporal continuity mindfulness Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - writing a song - documenting a project - archiving memories - planning future work Key Concepts philosophy artistic process legacy Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect your creative decisions? - Can you separate past regrets from future hopes? A Different Perspective The mantra may overlook that past events can constrain present freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exist Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist-future-1126172/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future Recording](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-recording-3053227/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Mantras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mantras/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-present/) [Present future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-future/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [When you're listening to a recording, you're supposedly listening to some aspect of the past in the present as you travel slowly into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/when-you-re-listening-to-a-recording-you-re-supposedly-listening-to/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [The seams, the laminae between the various worlds the past present and future as well as the living and the nonliving may not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-bass/the-seams-the-laminae-between-the-various-worlds-the-past-present-and/) [Rick Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-bass/) > [Creation is all space, all time - all things past, present, and future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/creation-is-all-space-all-time-all-things-past-present-and-future/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [“ ‘You are your” “Past, Present,” “& Future,’ he said” ” ‘You divide into” “those components” “in this room’ ” ” ‘But I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-notley/you-are-your-past-present-future-he-said-you-divide-into-those/) [Alice Notley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-notley/) > [You been with me in my past, your with me in my present, and I see you and I in the future...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pmc/you-been-with-me-in-my-past-your-with-me-in-my-present-and-i-see-you/) [PMC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pmc/) > [“When the past is always with you, it may as well be present; and if it is present, it will be future as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-womack/when-the-past-is-always-with-you-it-may-as-well-be-present-and-if-it/) [Jack Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-womack/) > [If Past Present and Future make the moment we call NOW can the word N.O.W. stand for New Omnipresent World?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/if-past-present-and-future-make-the-moment-we-call-now-can-the-word-n/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/one-of-the-most-tragic-things-i-know-about-human-nature-is-that-all-2/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Do not be afraid of the past. If people tell you that it is irrevocable, do not believe them. The past, the present and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/do-not-be-afraid-of-the-past-if-people-tell-you-that-it-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The WWE universe finally demanded that the girls get the attention that they deserve. I think women past, present, future, should forever be grateful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-mccool/the-wwe-universe-finally-demanded-that-the-girls-get-the-attention/) [Michelle McCool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-mccool/) > [“We are all of our past, present and future lives, as well as the younger and older versions of ourselves. We are also every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-anthony-gibbs/we-are-all-of-our-past-present-and-future-lives-as-well-as-the/) [Russell Anthony Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-anthony-gibbs/) > [The paintings are kind of set in the past, present, and future all at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-cooke/the-paintings-are-kind-of-set-in-the-past-present-and-future-all-at/) [Nigel Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-cooke/) > [“Mappo frowned. 'I have not heard that phrase before. Lost Elementals?' 'Scholars tend to acknowledge but four, generally: water, fire, earth and air; yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/mappo-frowned-i-have-not-heard-that-phrase-before-lost-elementals/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [“You are my best Past,present & future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-joshi/you-are-my-best-past-present-future/) [Kiran Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-joshi/) > [“I would wonder if you could be a hero or heroine if you did not live in deep time, that is, Past, present, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/i-would-wonder-if-you-could-be-a-hero-or-heroine-if-you-did-not-live/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) ## More by Will Oldham > [As far as implying that we know what we're doing, that we have perspective enough - by diving fully into something it requires a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/as-far-as-implying-that-we-know-what-we-re-doing-that-we-have/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [It's O.K. to accept good fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/it-s-o-k-to-accept-good-fortune/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [I like rural areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-like-rural-areas/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [The songs are not meant to be real life. They're meant to have a psychic - rather than a factual - bearing on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/the-songs-are-not-meant-to-be-real-life-they-re-meant-to-have-a/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [I do an opening in 'The Glory of the World' play at BAM, and then I go up to the high balcony in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-do-an-opening-in-the-glory-of-the-world-play-at-bam-and-then-i-go/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [One thing that the Internet has created is the sense that information is at your fingertips, when it's really only a very, very limited,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/one-thing-that-the-internet-has-created-is-the-sense-that-information/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [As a kid you learn that there are thinkers and there are philosophers and there are theologian, and I'd hear little bits of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/as-a-kid-you-learn-that-there-are-thinkers-and-there-are-philosophers/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [I valued the experience of making the recordings, and I value the performances contained therein, and I value so much of what they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-valued-the-experience-of-making-the-recordings-and-i-value-the/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [Sometimes it will be for more money than I've ever been offered before. I mean, am I an idiot again for not doing that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/sometimes-it-will-be-for-more-money-than-i-ve-ever-been-offered/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [I think most great actors have their own life trajectory, the character motion doesn't have anything to do with their life motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-think-most-great-actors-have-their-own-life-trajectory-the/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [To me, recordings are little fourth-dimension artifacts, because they already are representatives of past, present, and future, just inherently in their existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/to-me-recordings-are-little-fourth-dimension-artifacts-because-they/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [Venues are all the same, all feel the same, these generic blank spaces. I like artists like Lightning Bolt-bands that go in and kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/venues-are-all-the-same-all-feel-the-same-these-generic-blank-spaces/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [Too much emphasis is put on American roots music when people try and place me. You know, I grew up listening to punk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/too-much-emphasis-is-put-on-american-roots-music-when-people-try-and/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [My booking agent, of course, here and overseas, their tendency is to want to build on a certain kind of measurable success, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/my-booking-agent-of-course-here-and-overseas-their-tendency-is-to/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [I think that what trips up a lot of great musicians is that they become involved with too many things that aren't where their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-think-that-what-trips-up-a-lot-of-great-musicians-is-that-they/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) [Explore all 88 Will Oldham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) ## More Feelings quotes > [I have a strong feeling about this quick movement and changing of society and populations growing - something scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-sugimoto/i-have-a-strong-feeling-about-this-quick-movement-and-changing-of/) [Hiroshi Sugimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-sugimoto/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If someone really loves you, no matter how many other people they meet, their feelings for you wouldn't change. A real lover cant be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-really-loves-you-no-matter-how-many-other-people-they-meet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [“I urge you: don't cut short these thought-trains of yours. Follow them through to their end. 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It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 21,172 Feelings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have a mantra that kind of explains my feelings on this subject, which is, \"The past is the present is the future.\" When you're recording something, you're making something that will exist in the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Oldham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my-feelings-on-this-subject/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feelings" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my-feelings-on-this-subject/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/will-oldham-7702_feelings_i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my_2744657.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/will-oldham-7702_feelings_i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my_2744657.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/will-oldham-7702_feelings_i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my_2744657.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have a mantra that kind of explains my feelings on this subject, which is, \"The past is the present is the…” — Will Oldham", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Will Oldham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have a mantra that kind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my-feelings-on-this-subject/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-have-a-mantra-that-kind-of-explains-my-feelings-on-this-subject/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```