The Time Warp: A Look at Life Then and Now
- Hillary Huyghue-Matias
- Dec 16, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 15
Time changes when you’re an adult—it’s like someone hit the fast-forward button on life. It feels like all the clocks, watches, and digital devices are against me, and when I blink, it's suddenly 8 a.m. or 10 p.m., with little memory of what happened in between. As a child, school days felt endless, and summers seemed to last forever. Counting down the days until your Disney vacation felt like a form of slow, psychological torture. Fast forward to my 40s, and I’m pretty sure time is in a footrace with itself—and it’s winning. Days are a blur of work deadlines, grocery runs, and appointments. Time doesn’t just fly by; it’s strapped to a rocket and fueled by my unfinished to-do list. Funny how the only time that seems to stand still now is when I’m stuck in line at the DMV or listening to a coworker explain the company goals for the upcoming fiscal year.
Have you ever wished you could step into a time machine and journey to the past? Now, I'm not talking about those movies where you go back to a specific moment in time to 'undo' something and try to rewrite the future. Although going back 20 years and investing in Amazon does sound quite tempting. I'm talking about going back in time for a day and taking full advantage of things you once took for granted.
Looking back, there are a few things I wish I could tell my younger self—things I’d do differently if I could rewind life, even just for a day. So, buckle up, activate the flux capacitor and get ready to hit 88 miles per hour as I take you on a time warp journey of three moments I would revisit from my childhood.
Napping Like a Boss
Why is it that when you were a kid, you treated nap time like it was a form of cruel and unjust punishment? Even when you were so tired that you were literally falling asleep standing up and you appeared to start talking in tongues, you resisted napping at all costs. Now in my 40s, I would gladly give up a few weekend treats for just a solid 20-minute daily nap. And as much as you may want a nap with every fiber of your being, there’s always something in the way — deadlines, errands, or your brain playing Russian roulette with you and reminding you of every mistake you’ve made since 2007.
Imagine if nap time were a mandatory part of the workday. Picture this: a voice announces over the loudspeaker, "Nap time has officially begun. Please step away from your workstations, shut down all computers, and set electronic devices to do not disturb." Now, that's what I would consider an excellent work perk!
The only thing that would probably top that for me is if I were ordered to eat all the food on my plate and go straight to bed! Honestly, that would be a dream come true, particularly if it came with the metabolism I had at age seven.
The Beauty of Boredom
Remember when you were a kid at home during summer vacation, and after hours of TV, music, and video games, you'd start complaining to your mom about being bored? That was until she handed you a list of chores, and suddenly your boredom vanished. Now in my 40s, "boredom" feels like a luxury vacation package I can't afford. Nowadays, I have to schedule "free time," and even then, my brain keeps reminding me of some bill I forgot to pay or how I should wisely use the time to check something off my to-do list.
At this stage in my life, being bored seems almost unfamiliar. Granted, in today’s digital age, boredom has become nearly extinct. Children have non-stop entertainment—from video games to social media. Do you remember when boredom sparked creativity? I remember how a box of crayons could lead to hours of aimless doodling or building intricate card castles large enough to house the royal family. While I long to relive those serene hours spent daydreaming, my calendar now bustles with errands, meetings, and responsibilities. Those moments of boredom are now just a faint, distant memory of the past.
Unleashing Imagination
When we were young, our imaginations could take us anywhere—from roaming with dinosaurs to soaring high above the clouds. But now that I am in my 40s, that imaginative spark sometimes feels dimmed. Rather than weaving fantastic tales, new narratives revolve around mundane tasks like household chores or managing work projects.
If given just one day in my childhood, I’d pour myself into a world of invention. I would dedicate my time to envisioning possibilities and delight in the joyful act of daydreaming. Instead, I find my thoughts tangled with the daily grind, forgetting how to let go and just imagine. Rediscovering that creative spirit would be life-changing. Can you imagine the places our imagination could take us now if we allowed it to run freely like we did as children?
Reflecting on Simplicity
As we age, we often long for the simplicity and freedom of childhood. If I had the chance to use a time machine for a day, I'd share three pieces of advice with my younger self: 1) Napping isn't a punishment; it's actually a reward, so take advantage of it. 2) Boredom is a luxury—cherish it. 3) Fully embrace your imagination and make time to continue imagining as you grow older. And if my younger self chooses to ignore me, at least I'd know I'd made the effort. Meanwhile, the 40-something version of me will be in the present, sipping cold coffee, scrolling through "time flies" memes, and wondering how it's already Thursday.
What things would you go back in time and take full advantage of?
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