Recently, I came across the concept of Newton and Einstein Time. With optimism filling the air, things started to hurry. All around, schedules were being made and from the slowness of the New Year, April felt sudden. Most times, there is the feeling of no control. I don’t have time for this. I don’t have time for that. Time appears to come out of the cosmos. While everyone’s twenty four hours are not the same, having not enough time is a common reason spoken out onto the world, and often, graciously accepted.
The big idea behind Newton and Einstein Time is that there are two schools of thought. In Newton's Time, time is fixed. You have a set number of hours and are in no control of its gravitational force. You are pulled into every meeting without choice and are the victim of being your child’s learning partner. In Newton's Time, one is simply dragged by whatever comes their way.
The other school of thought comes from Einstein Time. In Einstein’s Time, things are relative and personal. You may recall the speed at which a few hours flew by when you hung out with peers. You’ll notice how the final forty seconds of that plank felt like an eternity - or how you pondered on accepting moderately heated food off the microwave at the last ten seconds. One chooses to create their own time. You are choosing to be present in meetings and to be present for that online class. Consider the example of a small child running to you wanting to play for the nth time as you attempt to finally continue that project. Now consider the drastic example of a small child running to you because they had hurt themselves. Your reaction and emotion may be totally opposite.
It is impossible to forever be on Einstein Time. Trying to do so might just create pressure and guilt. Sometimes, you also just need to do what you gotta do. The mental difference is in accepting that you made the choice - to own it, rather than blame time. There are many benefits to learning that time is personal and relative for you. Think of a time when you may have stared at waving trees - when those few minutes created an abundant moment of relief for your soul. So the next time you feel rushed and not in control. Pause. Take a breath. Look at your surroundings with a gentle glaze. Take in the probable chaos. Then let go of it, and remind yourself - I am here, because.
*I came across the concept of Newton and Einstein Time in The Big Leap, a book by Gay Hendricks. The primary idea of the book centers around taking responsibility for one’s self and realizing that you may be the person holding yourself back.
