Love it! I'm a 65 year old with 3 grandkids. I started sending out a monthly newsletter to family on life that month with emphasis on grandkids. I remember easily 100x what I would have otherwise. One of my better decisions was to start 6 years ago. I wish I had started earlier.
This really hit home with me George, thank you. Not in an urgent way, because as I was reading it brought me back to some of my most treasured memories. Being present in the moment is something that I'm working on, and I feel that the gentle advice within your piece can certainly help 🫶
Great ! makes me wonder.. Honest question after reading this: how much of "where did the time go?" is really a memory problem vs how much is an avoidance problem?
Because when I look back, the years ( decaades) I remember least aren't the ones that lacked novelty.
They're the ones where I was dodging a decision I didn't want to face.
New job, hard conversation, divorce, whatever — I just… didn't.
And the months around that? Gone.
I'm starting to think autopilot isn't a failure of attention. It's a way to not feel the discomfort of being stuck.
The mirror doesn't just ask "where did the time go?" It asks "what was I avoiding while it passed?"
I'm at that precarious age where hellzapoppin' all day long. I think that, because people like me have lived so long, that we have seen much more than the rest of y'all have seen, so the actual event, time in and time out, is expected and passes quickly. More to reality, I know that I'm inching ever closer to that great big hole in the ground (or is it cloud in the sky) I dunno, it doesn't matter, I will still be able to see all y'all naked when I'm gone. Think it says it in the Babbel, er, Bible.
The biohacking community obsesses over extending clock time but largely ignores memory time. Your point about novel experiences explains why the healthiest people at 80 often seem to have lived the longest. They optimized for both.
Love it! I'm a 65 year old with 3 grandkids. I started sending out a monthly newsletter to family on life that month with emphasis on grandkids. I remember easily 100x what I would have otherwise. One of my better decisions was to start 6 years ago. I wish I had started earlier.
This is great
This really hit home with me George, thank you. Not in an urgent way, because as I was reading it brought me back to some of my most treasured memories. Being present in the moment is something that I'm working on, and I feel that the gentle advice within your piece can certainly help 🫶
Great ! makes me wonder.. Honest question after reading this: how much of "where did the time go?" is really a memory problem vs how much is an avoidance problem?
Because when I look back, the years ( decaades) I remember least aren't the ones that lacked novelty.
They're the ones where I was dodging a decision I didn't want to face.
New job, hard conversation, divorce, whatever — I just… didn't.
And the months around that? Gone.
I'm starting to think autopilot isn't a failure of attention. It's a way to not feel the discomfort of being stuck.
The mirror doesn't just ask "where did the time go?" It asks "what was I avoiding while it passed?"
That's such a nice fork on the idea
thanks ! there is some technicity to it, in fact. the way memory retrieval work is influenced by your preferences ( and aversions) .
Memory is rewritten”every time we retrieve it, so we “hide” what does not suit our Viewpoint… ( integrity → Security) … [Inda, 2011], [Kraemer, 2022]]
Unless we deliberatly seek confrontation to our ideas ( Bohm’s dialog levels )
( something AI will make not optional … )
I'm at that precarious age where hellzapoppin' all day long. I think that, because people like me have lived so long, that we have seen much more than the rest of y'all have seen, so the actual event, time in and time out, is expected and passes quickly. More to reality, I know that I'm inching ever closer to that great big hole in the ground (or is it cloud in the sky) I dunno, it doesn't matter, I will still be able to see all y'all naked when I'm gone. Think it says it in the Babbel, er, Bible.
The biohacking community obsesses over extending clock time but largely ignores memory time. Your point about novel experiences explains why the healthiest people at 80 often seem to have lived the longest. They optimized for both.
Oh I LOVE this so very much and it aligns super well with the 5 pillars of ikigai as well as Ichigo Ichie 🥰
1) Starting Small: Focusing on small, daily and manageable actions.
2) Releasing Yourself: Letting go of the ego, accepting yourself as you are and not taking life too seriously.
3) Harmony and Sustainability: Building relationships with others, nature and the community to create a sustainable life.
4) The Joy of Little Things: Finding happiness in small pleasures like morning coffee or listening to music.
5) Being in the Here and Now: Practicing mindfulness and living in the present moment, similar to a child's state of mind.
This is mega powerful for someone at 29. DO IT FOR THE PLOT!
Love your writing George, keep it up
George, there is something so powerful about your writing. It gives me a new perspective to life almost always. Thank you!
This is a magnificent article, just magnificent - one that everyone should read.
Love it!! Thanks for sharing!
Always eye opening to read these, George 🫡
Love it
I can confirm this from experience, I used to have a "fun day" every Friday where I'd deliberatley seek out novel places or experiences.
Since my son came along I've let it drop and I've noticed time flying faster and memory blurring since then.
(Of course it could just be lack of sleep lol)
Going to reactivate this weekly habit now
rejas05@gmail.com
I can confirm that college took his time. I spent 5 years away. But those five feel more like ten.