Estimated reading time: 5 min.
Dear reader,
Welcome back to Guiding Words.
In the previous lesson we argued that our lives are mostly made of routine punctuated by occasional novelties. And, following that argument, we concluded that, it was not the number of years in one’s life that counts but, rather, the depth of life in each of those years.
Nevertheless, humans have been trying to find ways to keep an accurate track of time for thousands of years. The oldest sundial on record came from Egypt and was made around 1500 B.C.E. thus showing that the concept of time is embedded in the very fabric of life. Hence, in this lesson, we will reflect on the purpose of time.
Let us begin with some Words of Art:
The days of our lives are fully lived, whether we think of them that way or not. Each hour is fully consumed independently of what we do with it.
The old ones have lived their days and the young ones, equally, have theirs to live. None should envy or pity the other.
Often, when we envy the years that are still ahead of the young or pity the ones that are now behind the old, it is not time in the numerical sense that we’re referring to, it is what has been done and more commonly, what has not been done with that time.
The units of time are the same for all, but the quality of their usage varies tremendously. Time does not have a value in and of itself but only in relation to what has or will be done with it.
Time is the neutral spectator of our lives.
Therefore, we should focus not on the quantity but on the quality of our time, because as long as we value the content of each unit of time, from the past to the future, each moment will be worth it.
In the field of physics, the great theoretical physicist Albert Einstein profoundly changed our perception of time by introducing the Special Theory of Relativity in which he proposed that time was relative, in other words, the rate at which time passes depended on one’s frame of reference.
Let’s stop there and ask ourselves what if it wasn’t just the rate at which time passes that depended on one’s frame of reference? What if our perception of the content of time also depended on our frame of reference?
Time is the limit within which the self becomes self-conscious.
I am because I will end.
And since the ego was born within the limits of time with the knowledge that it has no control over it, as it comes to being, it gives to time an intrinsic value that it now strives to match.
The attempt of the ego to rationalize its belief goes something like this: Because I live within the confines of time, on which I have no control, that on which I have no control and that has perceived control over me is valuable. Therefore, in order for me to be valuable, I have to strive to use the time that I have to do things which are worth the value of time.
In such terms, every action that is considered as wasting time is seen as bad and productivity, speed, efficiency are praised as good, as if time becomes more valuable in proportion to the amount of stuff and the speed at which things can be shoved inside.
Again, there is an attempt by the ego to rationalize its assumption, and it goes something like this: If time is priceless, and I want to be worthy of the time that I have, I, therefore, must fill it with things that are deemed worthy.
But the trap lies in the question, what are those things?
- Acquiring power?
- Acquiring wealth?
- Acquiring fame?
Which of these three in the long list of things people give value to is equal to time well spent? How often, when considering the way we use our time, do we ask ourselves which frame of reference might be, consciously or unconsciously, guiding our decisions?
Because of the frames of reference they are using, many people spend their lives unhappy with the way they perceive they have used their time and, as such, live with a lingering feeling of having wasted precious time. However, the purpose of time is not to judge how well it is spent, but rather to remind us that we do not have an unlimited supply of it, therefore, constantly inviting us to be fully aware of each passing moment.
The purpose of time is not to judge who has been worthy of it or not, but instead to remind all of us, subject to it, to make every moment count, because every moment is counted.
This concludes our lesson on the purpose of Time. In the next lesson, we will reflect on the importance of writing your own Guiding Words.
See you in three days and until then, may Serenity be upon you.
Didi
Question: Do you feel like reading these Guiding Words has been a good use of your time?
Reply with a yes or no and feel free to go beyond two or three characters.
P.S.: I am trying to find the right words to convey my thoughts in a language that is not mine, so please pardon my mistakes and feel free to reply with any suggestions and/or corrections that can make this reading experience more enjoyable.
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