Meaning

This line points to one of the most common ways people defer what truly matters: the quiet assumption that there will always be more time. It is a warning against procrastination rooted not in laziness but in a false sense of security. The message is that postponing presence, kindness, growth, or meaningful action is itself a kind of loss, because the future is never as certain as we imagine it to be.

Context

The line appears in Jack Kornfield's collection of teachings and reflections drawn from Buddhist thought. The book presents short, accessible wisdom for everyday life, and this particular line carries a distinctly Buddhist emphasis on impermanence. The idea that clinging to the illusion of unlimited time keeps us from living fully is a recurring theme in contemplative traditions, and Kornfield frames it with characteristic directness and simplicity.

About the author

Jack Kornfield is an American teacher and author who trained as a Buddhist monk in Southeast Asia before returning to the United States to help bring mindfulness and insight meditation practices to a broader Western audience. He was a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock Meditation Center. His writing tends to blend classical Buddhist teaching with accessible, warm language suited to general readers, and he has published numerous books on meditation, compassion, and psychological well-being.