Tempus Fugit: Time Flies

Tiempo Mexicano
San Miguel de Allende, GTO, MX

Have you ever noticed how long twenty or thirty seconds seems when you stare at the clock? Put something in the microwave, punch in the time and just stare at the clock. Try it. The tick of each second seems like an eternity gone wild. The end doesn't seem to come quick enough.

Now remove yourself from the clock. Do the same exercise, but this time step away from the clock. Go and sit somewhere and forget the clock. By the time you sit and get comfortable, the timer will go off.

Each time that we eagerly wait for something to happen the same occurs. Time lingers while we wait. It really doesn't does it? It's the same measure but our perception is what is different. If we remove or provide ourselves with "distance", time flies. This is not a new concept. The Romans even had an expression for this: "tempus fugit, momento mori". Loosely translated this means: time flies remember your mortality.

Regardless of whether your stare at time or you ignore it, time marches on. What appears to be an eternity is simply a matter of distorted perception. Time measured in terms of our lives is not forever. Keep this in mind the next time you choose to stare at the clock. You would be better served to do something else in between the clicks and tocks or the LED movements.