What is time? Where does it come from? Why do we value time?
1) What is time?
Here is the definition of time in physics:
“Time in physics is defined by its measurement: time is what a clock reads. In classical, non-relativistic physics, it is scalar quantity (often denoted by the symbol) and, like length, mass, and charge, is usually described as a fundamental quantity.””
The concept of time ( ScienceDaily)
“an hour consist of a certain amount of minutes, a day of hours and a year of days. Time is represented through change, such as circular motion of the moon around the Earth. The passing of time is indeed closely connected to the concept of space.”
It is a science on its own to define time as a substance or value as we can gather from these definitions. All I know is that time is something we as humans cannot alter or change. We cannot add or subtract even 1 second. We all have 86400 seconds per day and that’s it No more and No less. With this in mind, can we manage time or does time manage us? If you really want the best out of your God given 86400 seconds you have to manage yourself to maximize your outcomes.
2) Where does time come from?
It is my belief that we first read of time in the Bible in Genesis when God created day and night. As far as we know time was first measured with the invention of sundials in ancient Egypt some time prior to 1500 B.C. Even then the time measured was not the same as we measure it today with time clocks. The basic unit of time then was the period of day and night.
3) Why do we value time?
a) Time is a “commodity” which we cannot get back once it is passed. As I am writing this the seconds go by and all I have from that is the writing and the memory of doing the writing. So, if you do not “write” every second of your life into something worthwhile is it fair to say you have wasted the continuum called time?
b) We easily say things like “time is money” or “time flies” or “time stands still”. When we analyse our own behaviour we have to agree, that is what determines our own time factor.
c) Time is infinite. Nothing stops time and nobody can determine the end of time, neither can you determine the end of your own time on this planet.
d) Time relates to the Past, Present and Future, yet we only live in the present. The Present is shaped by the Past and the Future is shaped by the Present. “What you think of as the past is a memory trace, stored in the mind of a former Now. When you remember the past, you reactivate a memory trace – and you do so now. The future is an imagined Now, a projection of the mind.” – Eckhart Tolle in his book ‘The Power of Now’.
Time for us all will end at one stage. What we leave is our legacy of what we achieved with our time on earth. Will it be worthwhile for others to reminisce over?
Pieter Gruenbaum
Business Coach