+ One time a man told me that life is like a toilet paper roll. It goes faster as you get towards the end. It’s always bothered me to feel the truth in that statement. Today I read an article that stated that it is a common phenomenon for people to feel like time goes faster as we get older, but obviously that’s not true. It’s just a perception. Sixty-minutes was an hour when we were twelve, and sixty-minutes is an hour, now. Scientists believe that this perception comes from the fact that when we are younger we are experiencing a myriad of novel and new complex situations. Everything which we experience is new to us, when we are young. Our brains seem to slow down, in order to process and assimilate all of this new information. As we get older, we are often stuck in familiar routines and we tend to experience far less novelty. We almost get lost in large swaths of time that seem to pass in a blink of an eye. Researchers suggest that if you want time to appear to slow down, add change into your life. Try new experiences and learn new skills. A study was done where they asked teenagers and elderly people to explain the same experience which they all had just gone through together. Teenagers added a lot more detail about what they had all experienced, almost like a slow motion picture. Older people, didn’t recount nearly as much about the experience. Some scientists believe this is about our brains and neural pathways being less pliable as we age, but others think that it is more because when you’ve lived a lot of life, the details of all your experiences kind of all meld into each other, whereas when you are young, each experience is fresh and new, with less to compare it to, so the details of happenings appear more vivid and unique to young people. Apparently, the secret to “slowing down” life (perception-wise) is to take time to notice the details (take time to smell the roses), and to constantly expose yourself to new and unique experiences. In short, we older folks should try not to get “set in our ways”, if we want time not to fly away on us. Friends, slow your roll.
+ For those of you who are feeling a little tired and frustrated, and maybe questioning a passion project that seems to be at a standstill, read this quote by Matt Reilly and decide whether it resonates (I hope that it’s the boost you need, and if the quote doesn’t resonate, then you have your answer – you have found the natural ending of this particular endeavor) – “You haven’t come this far, to come this far.” Keep in mind the parable of the long distance swimmer who was exhausted and just about to give up, when suddenly the clouds lifted, and she realized that the shore was only a few feet away.
+ For those of you who miss my Friday favorites, I am giving you a day early bonus of not one, but two favorites of mine. The first favorite is this really cool, Personalized Engraved Compass that I purchased for my husband for Valentine’s Day from Uncommon Goods. The compass is lovely. It is very good quality, it shipped safely (especially for being a personalized item) and arrived quickly and most importantly, it was quite the hit with my true love! For those way-showers, and True Norths of your own life, consider getting them this: https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/personalized-engraved-compass?srsltid=AfmBOoq_wWwzJvmZGIS_sMfzn7u07IPI5Lempgq593c5ZmlRQU7AGzHN
And my new enthusiastic favorite: Castor Oil I have been experiencing some achy muscles lately, particularly in my neck and shoulders and after reading an article about the wonders of Castor Oil for pain relief and moisturization (and a gazillion other things – the Ancient Egyptians believed that Castor Oil was the ointment of the gods.) I purchased some and I am in awe of the difference I felt, in just one day. Make sure that you get pure cold-pressed, organic castor oil, preferably in glass bottles. (supposedly better). There are many options on Amazon.
“My soul can find no stairway to Heaven other than the beauty of the Earth.” – Michelangelo Buonarroti
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.