F**k Clocks

A good relationship with time is essential.

Our concept of time is simple enough to figure out: the sun rises and sets each day over the course of twenty-four hours.

At times the days may even seem to blend together and you can lose track of time altogether.

What would we do without clocks, watches, or other timekeeping devices? What if one day they all stopped working forever? How would that change our relationship with time?

What if all we knew was the journey of the sun across the sky and the changing of the seasons?

Time is one of the few constants in civilization: something we can keep track of and count on to be the same day in and day out. In some ways, it's the fabric of our reality. The presence of time brings balance to our daily lives and routines. When we know what time it is, what day of the week, or what year it is—everything makes sense. So what if that constant were eliminated? Would our little worlds unravel? Would the whole world unravel? Maybe for a little while. But we humans are creatures of adaptation, we'd get used to it. And maybe things would get better; like our relationships with each other, and with ourselves.

More and more often I hear my peers lamenting the passage of time, saying things like, "I'm old now" or, "I feel so old" *insert crying emoji*. These are people in their early/mid 20s! It’s so crazy to me that someone could even feel that way at such a young age.

But the more I think about it, I wonder if it is due to how they relate to time. I'm guilty as well of dwelling too much on how much time has passed and how short life is, rather than living in the present. The present is where all the magic happens!

You know those moments where the whole scope of your life flashes before your eyes, and you realize how fast it's all been? It can be a very surreal, sometimes frightening sensation.

Why is that?

Maybe it's because you're realizing that you won't live forever. But aren't you already supposed to know that? Perhaps you don't truly understand what it means to be a finite being. Or perhaps you just aren't at the point in life where you're forced to accept it.

Obviously the idea of our inevitable deaths isn't really what we want on our minds every day, but we've definitely all thought about it at one point or another (with varying degrees of stress and panic).

Think back to some of the great times you've had in your life thus far: what made them so amazing? One thing I notice when I remember great days I've had is that time didn't matter. Each of those days seemed so full, as if they could last forever.

Is it because time stopped or slowed down? No, the day progressed like any other day. It's because I was so totally immersed in the present—in every passing moment—that time was no longer a factor.

Days like that are dream-like, and you never want them to end. Why can't they always be like that? Obviously every day won't be the best day ever, but I feel like each of us has the ability to be more present and live in the moment, especially those of us that are prone to overthinking or struggle with anxiety.

One misses those childhood days, when time was an afterthought, and we were too young to be burdened by the past, and too naive to worry about the future.

“It’s being here now that’s important. There’s no past and there’s no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever, is the now. We can gain experience from the past, but we can’t relive it; and we can hope for the future, but we don’t know if there is one.” – George Harrison

Ingrained in all of us is a fear of time passing us by. That one day we'll blink and it'll all be over. Yet at the same time, we spend our days longing for the weekend, only to watch it fly by—as if a Saturday or Sunday will grant us more than the normal twenty-four hours. Somehow over the course of your life, you may have begun to lose sight of the inherent value every day brings. Your optimism for every new day may have slowly been replaced by a nagging feeling in the back of your head that there isn't enough time in the day to do the things you want, or live the life you dream of.

This may not apply to everyone. You might have zero issue living in the moment and not obsessing about Father Time creeping up on you. But if you experience these moments more frequently than you'd like, the challenge is this: embrace right now.

I know, embracing the present is easier said than done, especially if you've gotten into the habit of stressing about the future or replaying the past in your head. It takes practice. It requires a level of focus to block out distracting thoughts, as well as a sense of calm, where you relax and allow the day, and time, to flow through you naturally. The way our ancestors did before clocks and stuff.

So if you feel overwhelmed: take a deep breath. Feel the ground beneath your feet. Remind yourself that you are here. That you are alive. Go outside, taste the air and let the sun touch your skin. Maybe even take a day off from work and do something you want to do. Don't even check the time. Fuck clocks! Put your phone on Do Not Disturb, unplug, and enjoy a mental vacation.

Consider it a step towards loving yourself, and your time on this Earth, a little bit more.

- m.w.