This thought holds in almost all life situations and happenstances as well as in the management of social relations. In an organisation, for instance, the yesterday, as vital as it is to the organisation, is only useful if relevant to today’s situation, mostly as a source of history in setting records straight and; today, as dear as it is to us, is ever conscious of posterity, often brought about by tomorrow. Finally, tomorrow is like a ghost that hunts, just like yesterday, and so uncertain, as today. This paradox then explains why organisations are so concerned about all these three phases of life for without due concern to the three there will be no history, no event and no projections. Indeed, the going concern is never guaranteed.
The yesterday-today-tomorrow nexus explains why the board members of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) are so concerned about the survival of their youth arm, the International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation (IHEYO). Several measures have been taken, and are being taking, to ensure that IHEYO remain active not just for today but to guarantee the going entity of the lifestance called Humanism. The leaders of the protected youth arm, IHEYO, on the other hand, are ever conscious of posterity hence their untiring efforts in ensuring that despite all odds, they are able to carry on witn certain projects that can endear and sustain the youths within the humanist lifestance.
While the leaders of these two organisations have the onus task of setting priorities and engineering projects that will gurantee the future, it is the task of everyone of us to work together with them so that when we become part of ‘yesterday’, those that will be living ‘today’ at the time, will not just think well of us but also be happy to borrow a leaf from us for the sake of their own ‘tomorrow’. This is an obligation that every humanist must fulfil for the sake of yesterday, today and tomorrow! We can do it.
Onward!
‘Yemi Ademowo Johnson, Editor