The Future

The past slips through our fingers like sand;

it does not return, no matter how we call it back.

The present is the only thing we truly have,

and within it, tomorrow is born.

We do not know what is coming,

but we know what we can wish for:

goodness for every human being,

peace for every child, a life without fear.

To be human is not easy,

and to be good is even harder.

Yet that is what we are called to be.

There is one planet,

and there is room for all.

Not to divide, but to recognize one another.

A world without wars,

without hunger and tears,

without the blood of the innocent —

is not a dream, but a choice.

If we pause and listen to ourselves,

we will hear a quiet voice: love.

In that word, change begins.

We must change ourselves

to change the world.

We must be the light when everything

seems on the verge of breaking.

Children are watching us.

What will we leave them?

The future is not something we wait for —

it is something we create.

Together.

Tanja Ajtic was born in Belgrade, Serbia. She lived and studied in Serbia. She is a poet and writer but she is also an artist. She also deals with fine graphics. Since 2002, she lives and creates in Canada. Moved to Belgrade, Serbia 2023. Tanja Ajtic is a member of many groups and associations. In Serbia, she is a member of the prestigious Society of Writers of Belgrade. Her poems and stories have been published two hundred collections (books), anthologies and electronic books. Her poems have been published in twelve languages. She published her book Outlines of Love. She participated with books and anthologies at many fairs in the world with other authors. In 2024 and 2025, Ajtic collaborated with Indian poet Sourav Sarkar on two joint poetry collections that present two works by the poet in one book. – She won second prize in Great Britain from the Serbian Library in London (2019). – She won III World Prize for Excellence: Cesar Vallejo; 2021 in the category of artistic excellence Lima, Peru, by the World Spanish Union of Writers and International Award of Excellence; from the World Spanish Union of Writers, UHE Mexico. –

She won the I International Award of Excellence & “Cita Del Glateo” Antonio De Ferrariis, IX edition 2022 – Rome, Italy, a prestigious award in the group of poets for the English language (IX edition of the award for foreign poetry in English) in 2022, Rome, Italy. – Winners of Foundation Naji Naaman literary prize iz 2023; (21 st Edition), from the Republic of Lebanon, Honor Prize (for complete work) for Literary prizes 2023. Poetry for the competition was submitted in three languages: English, French and Arabic. – Winning the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” Literary Award – Third Prize by the Beijing Mindfulness Literature Museum, China. – Winning Third Prize, Friedrich Schiller International Literary Competition (2025). She is the winner of many awards, diplomas and certificate. She is currently writing poetry, short stories, haiku, Gogyoshi poetry as well as graphics artist as a freelance artist.