What the Heck Happened to September?

What happened to September? I mean seriously. And I know it’s not just me, pretty much everyone I’ve spoken to shares the feeling that September went by so fast that it feels like it didn’t even happen!

Now, I know that there is a ton of research that tries to explain why time seems to go faster the older we get. Among the “explanations” I’ve heard is that the older we get each day, week and month becomes a smaller percentage of our overall lives and therefore feels shorter. Or maybe it is because research shows that we tend to remember unique experiences more than typical experiences and when we are kids, more things are unique, and therefore memorable. I’ve also heard that most adults spend the majority of our lives on auto-pilot, going by rote through our daily routines. I’ve heard that the feeling that time goes faster is a function of all of our distractions and unwillingness to experience even a moment of boredom. Finally, I’m thinking that some of us – myself included – are simply making ourselves so busy that we are always on to the next thing in our minds and rarely present for where we are. And if you are not where you are, then you are going to miss it.

I don’t know what it is – my suspicion is that it is some combination of all of those things. But I know it is true and if September is any measure, it is definitely getting worse for me.

What to do about it? Here’s what I’m going to try. First, Eric and I ran away to the woods for two days. Yup, we brought our work, but we woke up and saw  something different. Second, I’m going to try to stop over-stuffing my days (I know, I know, you’ve heard that before from me). Third, I’m going to get back to a 10-minute morning meditation.

I don’t know that these things will really manage to slow down time. But maybe, just maybe, they will enable me to more fully appreciate the time I have.