Carpe Diem

14 April 1905 (8): "Suppose time is a circle..."

In this chapter, most people aren't aware that "they will live their lives over" and that everything they do "will be repeated again and again, exactly as before." But those who are aware of the nature of time are the ones who lead miserable lives. Why?

Although the book presents time as something that will continually repeat itself, I believe time is something you can never have back. Time is very precious as it is limited. I myself have always had a hard time accepting that every minute that passes you will never get back. Every experience you have is once in a lifetime, it will never happen again exactly as it did the first time. Time controls our lives. Being aware that time is limited can help you live your life more fully or make, “Live miserable lives” (Lightman 8).
I think if you are too aware of the nature of time you do not spend your time correctly. It seems once you put a limit on time a question arises with everything you do. Am I living each day to the fullest? Have I told everyone exactly what I think about them and how much they mean to me? Am I taking chances and facing any challenge that is presented to me? Once you begin to question your actions and decisions everything seems premeditated and overly thought out. You worry if you are making the best decision, if going with another choice will be better for you in the long run. In the end when you make decisions around time you waste time doing so. You make a decision that you might not have made instinctively. You consider every aspect and consequence of the decision instead of living your life and taking things as they come.
“Carpe Diem,” seize the day. When you worry and focus too much on time it goes by faster taking with it all the wasted and missed opportunities. Living in fear of running out of time or not spending your time the correct way, to the fullest, is only using up more time that could be spent in the moment. I have found that worrying about what tomorrow will bring today does no good, it will not come until tomorrow, and tomorrow will not come until today is over. And today is a day that you will never get back so spend it like it’s your last.