The Paradox of Time
By Santosh Kumar Mahapatra
Time is a strange phenomenon. Although it moves at a constant pace, our perception of it changes with our circumstances. During school days, particularly when waiting for the final bell, even an hour seemed endless. Similarly, during periods of trouble, anxiety or uncertainty, time appeared to move painfully slowly.
But the experience has been quite different over the last 24 years and 9 months of my life. Being completely absorbed in writing, reading, thinking and expressing my thoughts, I hardly noticed how quickly time was passing. My intellectual engagement was so intense that days turned into months and months into years almost unnoticed.
Looking back, I am astonished at how swiftly nearly a quarter of a century has passed.
Perhaps this is the paradox of life: When we are waiting for time to pass, it moves slowly; when we are deeply engrossed in something meaningful, it flies.
Ultimately, we do not measure time merely by clocks and calendars, but by our experiences, engagements and memories.
Time never changes its pace; it is our perception of time that changes with the circumstances of life.
Dr Santosh Kumar Mahapatra
