The Time trap
In the race with time, you are running alone, says Aparna Kapoor
Every time you would go back in time in your head; yes, in your head; because that is where time actually exists – in our head. You would recall going by the clock, each day of your life; without wavering much from your schedule. That is respecting the time; we all are taught. And we do just that – respect time in every phase of our lives. All our roles in this social scenario need precision to the minutest of division of time’s measuring unit.
Right from the moment we are born; perhaps the first thing the doctors do after holding any new born in the arms, is to check the exact time of the baby’s arrival. Right from there to the present moment; and everything in between was to keep pace with time. Isn’t it? Graduating at the right time, marrying at the right time, having kids at the right time and then bringing them up (while keeping a track of their feeding time, poop time, sleep time, play time - the list is endless in this category) , handing over your projects in time. Phew…I feel all of us are wound tightly around the clock’s continuosly moving arms.
But I don’t think I am the only one to feel this way. I am sure you too have a feeling of being the fourth moving arm of an imaginary huge clock; or so have we made ourselves as.
Time is non-existent
The day starts with the rude alarm clock, yelling and telling us that it is time to get up! And we begin our day racing against- yes; time. With one eye on the clock we continuously do what we are supposed to be doing at that particular time. Probably contemplating about the time we spent during the day, by the end of it. Almost like filling in the entry of a log book, where there is judgemental calculation of every moment spent.
We seem to have some happy or good time when things go our way and as what we desire. We also have sad times when things are happening not as what pleases us.
The unexpected joy or an achievement is credited to our lucky times; whereas when the efforts are not enough to reap the benefits; are very conveniently blamed on to our unlucky time.
We try to gain time during important business decisions; and are so angry when we waste time while meeting any dead line. We go into depression thinking about all our lost time. We have slots reserved for indulgent time, family time, parents time, kids time, friends time, social time etc; all is well planned to make the most of it all.
We yearn to have some quality time with our partner, who in his or her own world, also juggling and struggling with his/her own time. Not a day goes by when we don’t crib or complain about having no ‘me time’. I wonder where everyone keeps their precious time, because I could never find a place for safe keeping my own. No one could ever find their lost time; neither could I, inspite of looking for it frantically all over the place.
Time does not exist, clocks do
Have you ever thought that where is; this thing; called time? Is it for real? Is the time which seems to be travelling with great speed, really passing, or is it we who are passing with great speed and time is just there – stationary – at one place, observing us pass off ?
Philosophical? May be; but think about it. There is a possibility that the centuries which we seem to have travelled in time are still there standing still as they were, and it’s actually us who have come far ahead. And, it was those centuries who actually were the witness of us passing ahead and moving on. They probably are still there where we left them; long, long time ago.
Time is nothing but a mutually agreed system by all of us, to measure the distance travelled by this planet. The small segments of this division probably were identified to organise our lives better.
But over the course of our journey we seem to have become a slave of this nonexistent entity. Everything we do is just to please this unknown entity.
Just a realisation, an experience
Today I want all of you to stop for a while; ponder and breathe.
Life is not just about compartmentalising our experiences into the units of this mode of measurement, which actually is nowhere but our head. It’s also not necessary to run along with it endlessly. It’s okay to pause for a while and step aside; to Not a day goes by when we don’t crib or complain about having no ‘me time’. I wonder where everyone keeps their precious time, because I could never find a place for safe keeping my own. No one could ever find their lost time; neither could I, inspite of looking for it frantically all over the place. let it move alone; while you could just stand and feel the same; in the sun rising, it going down, the cool breazes of the moonlit night, birds singing, and weathers changing.
In short; try to spend sometime away from time. Free yourself from the trap of this unknown driving force; from the web, which seems to have a tighter grip on you every morning when you step infront of that mirror and observe a tiny wrinkle near the corner of your eye.
So sometimes, do not check your watch. Not when you are with your kids, your parents, while helping someone in need, while listening to someone in distress or pain, while giving your shoulder to cry on to someone heart broken.
When you do that; you break yourself free from that tight grip of time. You are free - believe me you are; at least for that long when you don’t check the time.
Stop feeling guilty about the time you apparently wasted, because sometimes the time you love wasting is not wastage of time at all; it is called ‘living the time, living your life!’
So do not just spend your time, experience it, realise it and most importantly – live it. Because you exist; and time does not.