living at the speed of life

When someone said last week that this was the longest day, I said, “All the days are the same length.” Of course, she meant that at summer solstice we have the maximum hours of daylight, and I knew that. I was just teasing her. But it got me thinking about time and how it’s really such a personal construct. We have been taught that there are 24 hours in a day and each hour is 60 minutes long. Leap months and years aside to account for astronomical corrections, it’s something we all agree on. It’s linear; it’s science; it’s not just something we agree on, it’s something we know.

But take a look at all the days and years of your life.

Some days are so long. You’re waiting for the results of your blood work. Or your exam results. You’re waiting for the baby to come or the travel day to be over. Some days go by so fast you can hardly believe it’s over when it feels like you just got started. Hours can be the same – even minutes; even moments. We’ve all heard stories of people who’ve reported reviewing a catalogue of the details of their entire life in the seconds before a life-threatening event.  

Crying babies will fall asleep. Children become adolescents and adolescents become adults in no time in spite of the days and events that seem to last forever along the way. You really are having that big birthday, and loved ones really have been gone that long. Whether you are enduring or enjoying the moments of your life in the week ahead, remember that you have much more control over the experience than you might think at first glance. Suffer the moments you must endure with equanimity. Savor the moments you enjoy with deep gratitude.  

It is your life to live, and you have all the time in the world.

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6/23/25