Time and Perspective

A colleague of mine recently returned from a vacation and when asked how it went, replied "it was too short." Their family had spent a week sitting on the beach, each day a carbon copy of the previous save for the finger prints of the clouds. In offices around the world, this is a common response.

When we are young, things seem so much bigger, so much longer: school years drag on and on, football practices feel like days at a time and summers seem endless. We are always experiencing new memories, which fill more space in our heads. As we age, new memories become less and less frequent, days blend together and our dreams fade further into the distance. Once we enter the work force, we endure days and weeks that quickly turn into years in return for 10, 15 maybe 20 days of vacation during which we attempt to decompress and relax. At the end of a week off, we head to our planes, trains and automobiles astonished at how quickly it passed.

Anyone who has ever had an activity-packed vacation day sandwiched between sunup to sun down on a beach chair days has likely experienced this phenomenon. When you look back on the week, that jam-packed day takes up the most space, producing the brightest and vivid memories in your mind. The other days run together like sand through your toes. 

The next time you go away, think about balancing those wonderful hours sitting on the beach reading a book with new experiences and activities that you would never do otherwise. Be present, conscious, in the moment. Spend time with loved ones. Allow every sunset to burn its colors into your consciousness. Your memory will thank you for it.