Tick, tock, tick, tock; the all too familiar sound of the ordinary clock and the sound of sand trickling down a glass shaft of the sandman both have one thing in common—the ability to define time. Time wraps us in its inflexible grip and controls each and every ounce of our exploits. The seemingly insignificant seconds and minutes that overlap serve as the backbone of all our decisions. Unfortunately, more often than not, we take time for granted.
Nowadays, measuring the passage of our lives is more complex than decades ago when time was considered the weather. Today, time is sliced into three—the past, present and future. Perspectives on the three also differ. While traditionalists opt to deem the past invaluable and the present as only transient, the modernists pay little notice to the past and consider the future as vague and unpredictable.
Time is fluid, though. The only thing that synchronizes with time is an “event”. In the spaces between events, people do not care about the length or the passage of time. Furthermore, it is time that accommodates every need and activity. People cannot steer nor bend time. It is used to coordinate movements and plan actions, hence the importance to spend time with great prudence.
The Fast lane
It is an age old saying that time flies by when you are having fun. Those who probably enjoyed the innocence of their childhood probably wish to go back because it felt short of their expectations, while those who had the time of their lives wish everything did not feel so fast paced.
Take for example a slumber party among close high school friends. It always seems short despite the lack of any sort of slumber within the late and early hours. Family bonding either spent at home or vacationing could seem like seconds when one member intends to leave for greener pastures. Everyone must have experienced a single moment in their life that felt so quick because they were enjoying it. Some even explain the phenomena as a result of not thinking while being happy. That, however, is not necessarily true. So what exactly is going on with the combination of time and fun? It seems like it would be best to live out this mystery than to solve it.
Agony of prolonged time
Life has surprising and tricky ways of dropping bombs during a perfectly happy situation. There is no way to predict news of death, leaving, failure, or any other cause of woe at any given time. Failure in an exam or a subject is one of the most arduous experience a student has to endure. Not only will the student feel the wrath of his or her parents, but the heavy feeling that comes after—disappointment. The memory of a loved one is practically impossible to erase with time. Time that seems so long is caused by constantly thinking of that particular cause of woe. Cognitive psychologists even say that those with great memory suffer the agony of prolonged time because they can recall the exact details of the event and do not ever forget them even if they wanted to.
Crunch time
When the time comes to be serious, it is crunch time. This expression is commonly used during preparation for an important event. Athletes use it to refer to training before a competition, while students use it before studying for an exam. Philippine mnemonist Robert Racasa even quoted that preparation is done so that there is no need to think during the actual test.
Waiting out time
The language of time is one that flows freely and smoothly by the unconscious state and trickles by agonizingly slow. This led to the belief that time is only a mere illusion – that the passage of time depends upon the observer’s viewpoint.
May it be waiting for coffee to brew or waiting for the results of an exam; waiting is never pleasant. It is agonizing to stare at the clock and count the minutes one by one, with suspense. Science passes this phenomenon off as a trick of the mind. Apparently, sitting around and twiddling one’s thumbs does not hasten the pace of time. What waiting requires is much conscious effort to put our minds out of the business and into another to convince ourselves that time has run quicker than expected.
Time Heals All Wounds
People mature as time passes by and the longer it takes, the more they learn. Most students have gone through the common sore instances of failing an exam, whereas a few unfortunates have the misery of losing a beloved. The difference with people though is that some can move on quickly while others remain stuck to their past.
Time does not help forgive nor forget. It is not solely responsible for patching up the painful memories. The mind has a mechanism that is wound up to grasp only what a person knows. Some choose to believe that time is their shelter, and it will take some “crunch” to avoid being depressed. This sort of practice always takes time.
Learning to be the master of our own minds without conscious recollection of time should do the trick.
