The Passage of Time
Each new year seems to happen way too often. Why is that?
When we were kids, a year stretched out endlessly, opening up time to indulge in every day, every hour, every minute, every second…and then some.
But now that we’re older, time passes in a blin
I remember some years ago (it feels like yesterday, but forced to remember, it was actually 20), I started a blog, and was entertaining some names for it. At the time, I was in an online writing group whose members were always honest, supportive and helpful. One member, younger than me, didn’t agree with my leading choice of a title, “My So-Called Midlife.” She said that the title would eventually become obsolete, because I wouldn’t always be in midlife.
Oh, no, I thought, that phase of my life is surely going to outlast the blog. And so, I became author of the blog, My So-Called Midlife, and the blog was written and read by many for years.
Until… Menopause hit. Sure, I was still in midlife, 51 to be exact, but suddenly it felt imperative to focus more on the passage of midlife rather than being securely stuck in it.
And so, as she predicted, I aged out of “MySoCalledMidlife” (but I can assure you I did not become obsolete!) and morphed instead into a newsletter I named ThePause.
But then, voila! Suddenly menopause was so yesterday, and I was driven to write about today…what happens after we pass through menopause; what is to become of our bodies and how we see things; the many joys and challenges of aging; the importance of aging healthfully.
AfterthePause, as you know, is where we are now.
I guess this is my long-winded way of saying that nothing lasts forever (duh), and the years move more quickly than we’d ever think possible. It’s like sitting in a car that suddenly veers forward, picking up speed as it descends a steep hill.
According to experts, there are a few explanations for this sudden acceleration.
Philosopher and psychologist William James wrote, in his 1890 book, that “the same space of time seems shorter as we grow older.”
James’ view was that time feels this way because our lives, as adults, become more routine and less filled with novel, memorable experiences compared to when we’re younger.
Other experts say that the perception of time is influenced by our memory and how much we’ve experienced. An 8-year-old perceives a week as a large portion of their life, whereas a week, for an 80-year-old, signifies a much smaller portion of their life - which makes it feel as if it goes by more quickly.
And then there’s this: A year to us is a smaller percentage of our total life than a year is to a younger person. And so, it seems to pass that much quicker.
David R. Hamilton, PhD, says that newness extends an experience and helps our brains lay down strong memories.
I don’t know about you, but I suspect it might be similar for so many of us: Time feels less guaranteed as we move forward and age (which is why, I suppose, it feels more precious). That’s why being in the moment, rather than looking back or forward, grounds us in the pleasures ahead. And I am rather fond of the word “newness.” I think it allows us to indulge in something novel that will not only help slow down time (even if that is merely our own perception), but help us build new brain cells and hold onto our new memories at the same time.
How are you going to form new memories? I’d love to know.
I’ll share mine: I’m challenging my brain while having fun, and finally learning to play Mahjong.
And one more thing: I am finally going to write that novel I’ve been thinking about for the past 20-plus years.
And how those 20 years have sped by! It’s no longer “someday I’ll write that book,” but now it is “It’s now…or never!”
Have something to say, suggest, add? Comments always welcome!