bhaskar saikia

Rightly or wrongly, people have often attributed time with money. The old saying “Time is money” suggests a direct link between the two—time is precious, and the way we spend it can determine our wealth and success. Taking this notion a bit further, the 2011 Justin Timberlake starrer In Time portrayed time itself as the currency. In this dystopian future, time was not just a concept but a literal medium to buy goods and services. People had digital clocks embedded in their arms, and when their time ran out, so did their lives. While the film is set in 2169, it taps into a deeper, universal truth about how we perceive time—not just as something to be measured by a ticking clock, but as something of immense value.

But what is time, really? We are all familiar with its presence in our daily lives—the ticking of clocks, the passing of days, the changing of seasons. But time, in its true essence, is far more complex than what is quantified by hands on a clock. To answer the question, “What is time?” we have to look beyond the stereotyped notion of it as merely a number on a calendar or a hand moving around a dial.

The Illusion of Time

For many, time feels like something that moves forward relentlessly, dragging us along with it. We wake up, go to work, spend hours in meetings, and sleep. But time isn’t just a constant, linear progression of moments. The way we experience time is subjective—it seems to fly when we’re having fun and drag on when we’re bored. This relativity of time is not just philosophical; it has been proven by science.

Time According to Quantum Physics

For those willing to dive deeper, quantum physics suggests that time is not as linear as we experience it. In fact, time may not even be a universal constant. According to theories such as the theory of relativity, time can bend, stretch, and compress depending on the observer’s frame of reference. The faster you move, the slower time passes for you. This means that time for a spaceship traveling near the speed of light would be experienced differently than time for someone standing on Earth. Mind-boggling, right? To us, it might seem overwhelming, but these scientific concepts give us a glimpse into the vastness of time beyond our daily perceptions.

Time as a Construct

On a more philosophical level, some believe that time is merely a construct created by humans to make sense of the world around us. This perspective suggests that time is not an objective reality but something we’ve invented to organize our lives. Think about how we define the past, present, and future—three distinct dimensions that don’t truly exist in isolation, but only in relation to one another. The present is constantly slipping away into the past, while the future is forever just beyond reach. Yet we cling to this framework as if time were a tangible force, inescapable and immutable.

The Timelessness of Now

Despite all the complexities, there is one universal truth about time: it is now. The present moment is all we truly have. As the past fades and the future remains uncertain, it is in the “now” that we live, breathe, and make decisions. Perhaps, the essence of time lies not in its passing or the clocks that measure it, but in our experience of the moment we are in. The present is fleeting, but it is all we can truly grasp.

Time and Our Perception of It

As humans, we are constantly aware of time’s passing, whether we’re racing against it or savoring it. This awareness can make time feel like a precious commodity, much like in the movie In Time. We can feel the urgency to “spend” time wisely, as though we have a limited supply. But rather than viewing time as something to be measured and controlled, we might be better off seeing it as a resource to be lived, experienced, and embraced.

I have spent a greater part of my adulthood pondering the meaning of time. But with age, the wisdom has dawned that it cannot be fully understood—only experienced.