It seems like yesterday or at most a week when we welcomed #2023. And here we are welcoming newyear2024 ! How did these 365 days / 52 weeks / 12 months go by?
However, it’s not always like this! There are times when minutes feel like hours. I experienced this couple of months back at Ross School, Michigan. My flight got delayed, so instead of starting for airport immediately after the class, I decided to wait at the reception. I had nothing to do… I didn’t feel like reading or even watching a movie. Every now and then, I would look at my watch. While it felt like 15-20 mins, only a few minutes had elapsed. Those couple of hours seemed to stretch forever!
Albert Einstein had once said, “Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute.”
While TIME is absolute, we perceive it relatively and several factors play a role.
Age is supposed to be critical. As per Dr. Santosh Kesari, MD, PHD, Providence Southern California, “most adults feel that time elapsed slowly in their earlier days, but then speeds up later in life.”
– When we are children, a year of life amounts to much more time of existence percentage wise. For example, for a 10-year-old, one year is 10% of their life, whereas for a 40 year old, one year is 2.5% of their life.
– As children, we are constantly experiencing new things and ideas; they leave strong impression on our memories.
– As we get older, we chunk experiences into broad categories, bundling individual moments into larger, more generic groups in our minds. For example, a vacation runs the risk of becoming one more visit to beach or jungle or a temple. This leads to fewer memories and perception of time flying by….An alternate to this is mindfully experiencing something / anything…
Research indicates several other reasons for the varied perception of time, including our emotional state and body temperature.
As I welcome #2024, I strengthen my resolve to focus on:
– Creating novel experiences ,
– learning new skills, working in new areas,
– Savoring every moment mindfully mindfulness
I cannot change my age… but I can alter the perception of time by creating memories that stand out and stretch time!
Happy new year to all! God bless!
Perspectives 