Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Time

Why does time go so fast as adults and crept by as a child?  Your life also changes enormously between 0 and 10, between 10 and 20 and even between 20 and 30. It doesn’t change much between 50 and 80.  Scientists have theories, of course, and one of them is that when you experience something for the very first time, more details, more information gets stored in your memory. Think about your first kiss.....the touch of the lips, the excitement, the taste, the smell — everything about this moment is novel — you aren't thinking of previous experiences....you are starting fresh.

Have you noticed, that when you recall your first kisses, early birthdays, your earliest summer vacations, they seem to be in slow motion? I know when I look back on a childhood summer, it seems to have lasted forever.

That's because when it's the "first", there are so many things to remember. The list of memories is so long....reading them back gives you a feeling that they must have taken forever. But that's an illusion. The more memory you have of something, you think, 'Wow, that really took a long time!'

Things around us come to seem more and more familiar the longer we live. We travel the same streets, go to the same places, talk to the same people, engage in the same activities.
With all this sameness, we begin to ignore perceptions that used to be oh so fascinating. Familiarity becomes no longer interesting...or memorable.  When I think about how quickly my life has gone by, I get all choked up.

One way is to do new things. Travel to a different location; take up a fresh hobby; shake up old habits.

So in order to "slow life down"...change up your routine!  If you do the same thing every day, then the days will just fly by....but doing something different triggers something in your brain so that you "remember" that day...instead of it just going by.

Blogging actually helps us to slow down the pace of time!  How?  Because we are documenting each and every moment of our lives and in doing so causes a memory in our brain...every memory in our brain makes us think about thing that go on in our lives and therefore makes time go that much slower.




The more side roads you stop to explore, the less likely that life will pass you by

20 comments:

  1. I love the advice of experiencing something new because then life will slow down. I never thought of that.
    Thank you for this beautiful and thoughtful post

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  2. Coming to the same office to work the same job doing pretty much the same thing for 2 years straight makes the days fly by. It's a little terrifying. This is a pensive, thoughtful post. I believe everything you say, and I miss the long summer days of childhood when we watched a lazy world go by. I'm dedicated to really living life and experiencing as much as possible now. Thanks for the reminder!

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  3. You are so right Java! I will have to make an effort to change my routines.

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  4. My routines are not what I want them to be, but I am greatful that I make time to blog.

    Hugs & love,
    Mimi

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  5. Love your thoughts - thxs for sharing

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  6. Interesting info.. never figured that routine makes things go faster.. tho now it makes sense.. cuz, we give no thought to what is routine....thanks Java.

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  7. Routine and the things we jam into that routine really make things go faster. When you feel that fast paced routine starting to "take you down" just remove one thing..one activity..and see the difference it will make :-)

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  8. I don't know about you but with the recent time change it sooooo seems like time is crawling... I know, my body will catch up soon tho.

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  9. great post experience life in different way. rose

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  10. Fantastic post! Although even the kids now are saying how fast time is flying by!

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  11. Hi there;
    Enjoyed this post, because I am one of those women who thrives on change. I am 57 and have had more "firsts" in the past couple years than I ever did in my 40s. And why? It was triggered by losing job(s) as a result of the economy, and it forced me to move in different directions, change up some of my thought-processes, and make new decisions. I started blogging this year, as well, and it has so enriched my life, that I can't even begin to say!
    Just my two cents.......
    Thanks for the post! Loved it.
    Terri

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  12. I have days that crawl and can't wait to end, and others that fly by. Depends on what activity I'm doing I guess. But once thing I know, after having kids, time flew!

    I get choked up myself when I think about how fast time has flown by since high school. I try not to think about it.

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  13. Very, very well said, Mistress Java! Thought-provoking and just beautifully written! It really made me think - not only that trip down memory lane, but how to make my days more focused and worthwhile!

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  14. As I am approaching 60....I want to travel down some of those roads from long ago. Only this time I'd drive a lot slower, I'd get out and look around......

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  15. This is a great post. I never really thought of it that way. I do notice time flying by now that I am 40.

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  16. I am a new follower from the blog hop! Hope you can follow me back at my review and giveaway blog "in my opinion"...here is the link:

    http://couponsandfreebiesforyou.blogspot.com/

    I do have several blogs but this one is where I am looking for followers on. Thanks sooo much!

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  17. Hi Java, Thanks for sharing this awesome post last week on Fresh Clean and Pure Friday. I featured it today as one of the most inspirational again! You sure do have a lot of wisdom for someone so young! I need to go link up to your party now! Ciao, Roz

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  18. Java,
    Great words! And yes, life seems to have flown by once I turned 40!
    Hubby and I like to try new things and like to explore. We hope within a few years to be able to travel around the country with a truck and camper to have lots of new adventures to keep us young at heart!
    Have a great Thanksgiving week!
    Bernice

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