The meaning behind quotations: The racing time - Seneca
I've noticed that especially in times of Corona, when most days are similar, time whizzes by at an incredible pace. On top of that, the older you get, the faster the passage of time seems.
In this post, I want to take a close look at a short but very significant quote with you. Just because it's a short quote doesn't make it unimportant.
"Keep in mind the frantic speed of time."
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
The time as we define it as humans runs only in one direction - and that is forward. The time that has already passed, you can not get back, you can at most relive it in his head, but that only as well as our memory allows. So it is important to keep in mind how precious is the time we have.
In another post I went into a quote from Zeno of Kition in which he says: "Infinite is the time of the past and the future; the time of the present is limited."This article is about the fact that the past and the future are endless but we have only limited possibilities to act in the present.
However, unlike Zeno's quote, Seneca is not trying to tell us that our present is limited, but that we should keep in mind the passing of time.
If you have ever looked at an hourglass and seen how the sand inevitably trickles down from the top to the bottom, then you may have had the disconcerting feeling that you will never have this time again. In this case, you've been watching the progression of time in the truest sense of the word.
However, you can also keep in mind the rapid progression of time. If you're still in school, remember that in a few years you'll be in the workforce and won't see most of your classmates anymore. If you are still living at home, keep in mind that you will eventually move out and won't be spending as much time with your parents. If you have a partner, keep in mind that your time with that person will also come to an end - whether it is due to problems in the relationship or death. It is only important to remember that it will come to an end.
I know that this may sound rather sad and sobering at first, but it is not meant that way. Rather, I believe that this awareness helps us to live more intensively and not to get so angry about trifles.
The more you remind yourself how precious the time you have is and how frantically it is moving forward, the more you can appreciate the time you have. Life is only a short journey, make every moment count.
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