I’ll tell you the worst thing. Far worse than anyone else here can mention.
Time is constantly accelerating. When you are 5, the concept of a year is nearly an eternity. But your perception of time changes the older you get. Every year is shorter and shorter. Like you are on a constantly accelerating ship headed to the end of existence.
I don’t think that’s true. Time is relative so it’s only accelerating if you’re in a comfy routine with fewer distinct points of reference. There’s an easy fix for that.
From my perspective, I believe it is true. I’m only late 30s, and I’ve been filling my time with more “firsts” than ever before, but I can’t remember the last time I ever thought “damn, time is really dragging on today”.
I’ve got a relatively new career; I’ve been trying my hand at politics (was just 150 votes from winning an election this year!); I’ve been getting involved with volunteer work; I’ve gotten involved in activism, going to protests, anti-racism rallies, removing stickers, posters and flags placed to cause division and hate; I’ve been bonding with the most beautiful parrot my fiancée and I rescued; I’m teaching my son to drive; - the list goes on. My schedule is pretty relaxed, but whenever I look at the time of day I think “hell, how did that all go so quick?”.
I’ve been making a few mistakes just this week because my brain has refused to update the fact that we’re 5 days into July already and we’re no longer in mid June.
I dunno. Maybe it’s time perception, maybe I have early onset Alzheimer’s, or maybe I have early onset Alzheimer’s.
30s? You are still a baby. There is a long way to go my friend. There are literally no limitations on what you can do right now.
Your life sounds amazing. Glad you’re doing things you love <3
You start to realize there’s only a finite amount of time left and start having to choose what you’re going to start based on what you’ll be able to finish and what you could have spent your finite time on instead of.
Also loved ones and close friends passing away is hard, but the state before that… getting ill and their health going downhill… no longer able to be the person you grew up with. It’s mentally rough.
Finally, your body no longer being able to cash the check your mind wants to write.
One of the things I’d say to your first paragraph is that you’re never too old to learn something new. I’m a driving instructor and I’ve had learners who are over 60. Though, sadly I have seen first hand what you’re talking about. One lady I taught a few years ago at 62 years old had to stop taking lessons because her hip was going… Our last lesson was the last time I saw her 😭
Yeah, I meant it both ways.
1.) What you choose to do and what you decide isn’t worth your time gets seems to get increasingly a more important choice to make.
2.) You also start to realize “I’m not here forever, I should get off my ass and do that thing I’ve always wanted to do. I’m not getting any younger.”
