Speed of Life

United States
May 4, 2008 6:58pm CST
I've been hearing more and more from people that the older you get, the faster life seems to go. But I wonder if it's really the fact that you're older that makes life go faster or if the pace of our society is actually speeding up life. With the internet, faster highway speed limits, fast-paced weekend adventure travels, less walkable moments in daily life and the pressure to do more and be more productive in general, are we forgetting to slow down and enjoy life at a calmer pace? We are constantly being pushed to go, go, go! making the days fly past with barely and notice.
2 people like this
8 responses
@gemini_rose (16264)
5 May 08
I was always told this too, I did not believe it. I was told that when you have children before you know it they have grown up. I do not think it has been this way with mine, their growing up seems to be going at a nice easy pace. But saying this, I have noticed that this year has flown, I can hardly keep up with it. But some of what you said makes sense, in regards that it is not because we are older it goes fast, but more so the pace of life picks up in that we just want to do more and more in the time that we have.
3 people like this
@oanjum (19)
• Canada
5 May 08
You have a very good point. We should enjoy life at a calmer, slower pace. But I think society, as a whole, contributes to the fast-paced world. Let me give a very simple example: When you are just a child and you are learning things in school, you learn them very slowly and at a slower pace. As you grow older you have to learn more things and are expected to learn it at a faster pace. As you finish high school and enter university/college you are bombarded with knowledge and are expected to learn alot at an even faster pace. When you grow older you are expected to become more mature and knowledgeable. Society expects people to live at the pace everyone is living at. But I think we should live at a calmer pace because life should be simple and not that complicated. But in order for this to happen, the whole society needs to contribute and make life more enjoyable. If only one person starts living life at a calmer pace, he will fall behind. So what you have been hearing, "the older people get, the faster life seems to go", is true because as you get older you are expected to become more knowledgeable and are expected to be more responsible. I think you should be able to live life at a calmer pace, but unfortunately this cannot be possible.
3 people like this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
5 May 08
hi tidbit... first of all, i want to welcome you into this wonderful community... yes, you are right... i and my hubby feel that the older we get, the faster time flies away... i can't believe that it is now may already... we are almost in the middle of the year... seems like yesterday we just celebrate christmas and new year... anyway, we just have to appreciate every single second that God gives to our life... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
@paid2write (5201)
5 May 08
I think it's a bit of both. As we age we have more to look back on and fewer new experiences. A child or young person is still having more new experiences and has less to look back on, so a year can seem much longer when you are young. Yes, the pace of life is also faster for many people. It varies for me. When I was working in a job I was not too happy in, time went very slowly. Now I don't seem to have enough hours in a day to do as much as I want to.
1 person likes this
• United States
6 May 08
i believe that it is the mentality of age that makes it go by faster. As we grow older life seems to feel like it is passing us by and the days seem shorter.We keep our minds thinking constantly of every day stresses and problems and what we have to do and accomplish. Plus you are more settled and there more things to do around the house after you get off of work so you just don't have the time to stop and smell the roses as you did when you were young and free spirited.and also most older people are married and have children and you see how fast they are growming and life does seem to be going by quickly in that sense.
1 person likes this
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
5 May 08
This is a good topic, because like most people have been pointing out when you are younger you do have more free time and you do experience more new things, and there is a thrill in it and life in general. Other people solve the BIG dilemmas and the worst thing in the world that can happen to you is your best friend getting mad at you. And this is b/c as children we have simle views on life. It's when we mature into adults where the complications arise and our thoughts turn much more serious. And as someone else pointed out you have more real responsibilities (bills, work, family, etc.) Our thought process is much more complex as we try to juggle all these things and the worst thing in the world that can happen to you is you cannot make your mortgage payment...and then the years fly by. I began noticing the speed of life when I got real with my laziness of bills during and right after college. At first it went by slow..and then it began to pick up speed. And now I am in my 30's with only one of my goals scratched off my list. I think we all need to find that child inside that thought anything was possible and there was enough time for everything. Even if it's just for a moment enjoy the cool grass on a hot summer night while star gazing.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
6 May 08
as i retired my days did slow down and I was bored and unhappy till I found mylot and it has provided me with friends and sharing and caring and fun. my life is calm and serene and slower paced and I like it thatway.
@Pitgull (1522)
• United States
6 May 08
I think you're right, but it also has to do with where you live. I'm from the NorthEast (Buffalo) and there, we live to work. You go over to California, they work to live, completely different attitudes. Our society as a whole wants to speed up and advance, but our government outsources the jobs that require us to do so. Because we don't have the necessary skills, they should probably work on education, considering that's what might fix a lot of our issues. Caring, educated, Americans... I try, every day to stop and smell the flowers, and realize life is what we make of it. I don't want to feel like my life is just going away, fading, I'm going to live...