“When God punishes you, it’s not that you don’t get what you want. You get everything that you want and there’s no time left.” Ahhh this whole piece is so powerful Silvio. I’m like you, the thought of an infinite life is much more motivating to me than a short one. Or maybe both have their purpose. A long life though means that we have the power to do things everyday to make changes and accomplish big things. How cool too that you saw Miles Davis live!
Thank you, Michelle! Yes, some people get motivated knowing that they don't have time and have to rush, others knowing that time is no object. I think that the key is to try to ignore time. Like a beautiful woman, when time feels ignored it comes to you! :)
It's Friday and I'm sitting in my living room in the Lake District with the verdant fields outside, headphones in, reading about infinite time and listening to "So What?". I'm reminiscing about the time I played in a jazz band this song, thinking about the impact Miles Davis has had on art and performance, and feeling the powerful impact your story had on me.
I've never been very comfortable living the next day as the last. It brings a hurriedness to life that's so counter to the slow movements that I enjoy more, like slow-food. They invite savouring, noticing, and presence.
Getting things done is often accompanied with a "live as if it's your last day" attitude. But your story tells us getting things done is possible with an infinite time mindset, because it it's meant to happen it will. 💯
Thank you, Eric! Love how you summarized this concept of slowness and the fact that embracing slowness and savoring and noticing doesn't mean wasting time but enriching it. I didn't know you played in a jazz band. What did you play? :)
I played piano. But I was classically trained and one of those musicians who has to read music and is terrible at improvisation. I tried, but didn’t really have the right teacher to spark my impro soul. My scary, white-haired, crooked-tooth 80 year old piano teacher only wanted to hear me play scales...
“When God punishes you, it’s not that you don’t get what you want. You get everything that you want and there’s no time left.” - I'll be ruminating on this for the foreseeable future :)
You saw Miles Davis in a LIVE show? I'm jealous! It's interesting that you mentioned thinking about time as a dreadful exercise -- because I actively LOVE thinking about time. It gives me chills, goosebumps, excitement, joy, and sense of wonder. It's one of my favorite topics in any random and serious conversation. My old team and I used to play this game where they placed bets on when I'd fail to relate the weekly office story prompt (topics range from one's favorite way to eat a potato to most hated color) back to the topic of time. I won the bet every time ;)
Yes, seeing Miles live has been one of those experiences you fully realize only later on in life. Interesting that you love thinking about time, for some reason I wouldn't have said so. I myself hate it because it's got such a metaphysical primacy that I wouldn't know how to think about it, except noticing and witnessing its passage. To me, it's like thinking about existence. I sre could, but in what terms? After a while I'd go crazy. So, I don't. :)
You've had quite a life of amazing experiences Silvio, and grateful that you share them, and the insights they provoke, with us. Jealous that you got to see Miles Davis live, and more so in such a memorable performance.
Most of all, amazing way to tackle such a complicated topic which is time. It's been nice to entertain that thought about infinite time, and the liberation that brings. Thank you for always posing interesting and different scenarios to reconsider concepts, and life in general!
Seeing Miles live is such a life-boosting experience. Even in the conditions he was in. The man emanated charisma and energy and creativity and power. Thank you, Oscar, for your words. Experiences should always be shared. :)
Silvio, this gave me chills. I haven’t realized that I’m a part of the “infinite time” mindset until you so eloquently explained it. Definitely a fan of slow, simple, intentional living. Wonderful piece, as always!
Hi, just discovered this piece linked in Camilo’s essay. Found your exploration of time and connecting to Miles Davis fascinating. I’m in the carpe diem camp-- each day is the last one. I tend to take more risks and make more asks given my mindset. I don’t think of productivity so much as intention. Did I make some earnest attempt to do good? To be helpful? To make art or have an impact? In my tradition the smile is counted as an act of charity so I have a different calculus on how I understand time running out. I believe the soul will be with those you love in paradise so I’m not so worried about getting everything right now. I’m slowly savoring the delights of this life AND holding onto the possibility of more in another life.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Sadia. Interesting reflection. “In my tradition the smile is counted as an act of charity so I have a different calculus on how I understand time running out.” -- loved this.
“When God punishes you, it’s not that you don’t get what you want. You get everything that you want and there’s no time left.” This quote sat with me like coffee’s aftertaste. Powerful. Looking at the comments this strongly resonated with everyone.
This was a really interesting essay to read, Silvio. The idea of thinking of our lives as if we had “infinite time” is one that I’m not used to. I tend to follow the Stoic guidance of thinking of death as inevitable and that it could come at any moment. Yet, I do think you bring up a good point about the finiteness of time discouraging us from trying new things.
Every essay of yours gives me something both new and familiar. It’s like Italian food. I will always crave it, and I know generally what I will taste, but there is always a new element that leaves me delighted.
Thank you, Camilo. Death is inevitable, no question about that. It's just that thinking about that drains my energy and enthusiasm and willingness to delve into things. So the idea of treating time as something infinite (which, obviously, is not the case) is just my very personal way of eliminating it from the equation of life. I know it sounds absurd and paradoxical, but it's a state of mind. And as long as I can do it, it greatly benefits many areas of life.
Your parallel with Italian food is so interesting. Weirdly, it's like that for a native Italian as well!
Silvio, this is such an interesting treatment of a universal topic like time and mortality infused with your signature personal touch and life experiences. In some ways, it feels like an extension of our amazing conversations I'm so glad to enjoy and share with you.
I'm reminded of the Gandhi quote: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever."
I also recoil about the pressure that the pithy "carpe diem" entails. Life seems to be this balancing act between right here, right now and the interminable mystery of our very last day. Perhaps it is a gift that we do not know the exact moment of our demise (though I suppose death row inmates may be the exception), though I wonder if that would change our outlook. Tim Urban's thoughts and visualizations of life expectancy in weeks and boxes is certainly a powerful and practical application of memento mori.
And of course, I love the backdrop of Miles Davis, naturally.
Thank you, Tai. Your comments are essays in and of themselves. I'm going to treasure this one and come back to it many times, I feel. Such beautiful words! Sometimes I stop and think about what we have in our writing group, which is truly exceptional. Talking about all these profound (as well as shallow) themes, every time enriched by the specific experiences of each one of us. It's just precious. :)
"Not thinking about time, not worrying about how we have spent it and how much we have left, is probably the best way to honor the gift of life. . . time is there to serve us . . . I like to believe that time will always be there for us when the Universe deems it a critical ingredient of our endeavors." These are profound assertions Silvio and I resonate with them very much. I actually find myself using both contexts, switching from one to the other—too little time, and infinite time—quite often. I can enjoy both approaches depending on the moment I find myself in. But I've never heard the ample time perspective described quite in this way and I'm taking the time to luxuriate in it, or maybe the time is taking me.
No, you are exactly right, it's a new account. I have two now. Courage Writer, and now this one, Break a Rule. Break a Rule is specifically targeted to professional success, growth and development.
Yours is an equally profound and interesting perspective. And that "or maybe the time is taking me" is awesome. It makes me think of someone who is so lost in whatever they feel and do and think that they let themselves be taken by time, be transported by it without paying too much attention. Which would be my ideal state of mind. :)
Thank you, as always, for you thoughtful comments!
“When God punishes you, it’s not that you don’t get what you want. You get everything that you want and there’s no time left.” Ahhh this whole piece is so powerful Silvio. I’m like you, the thought of an infinite life is much more motivating to me than a short one. Or maybe both have their purpose. A long life though means that we have the power to do things everyday to make changes and accomplish big things. How cool too that you saw Miles Davis live!
Thank you, Michelle! Yes, some people get motivated knowing that they don't have time and have to rush, others knowing that time is no object. I think that the key is to try to ignore time. Like a beautiful woman, when time feels ignored it comes to you! :)
hahaha I love that! I think you're right, that's the perfect middle. Time is arbitrary at the end of the day.
It's Friday and I'm sitting in my living room in the Lake District with the verdant fields outside, headphones in, reading about infinite time and listening to "So What?". I'm reminiscing about the time I played in a jazz band this song, thinking about the impact Miles Davis has had on art and performance, and feeling the powerful impact your story had on me.
I've never been very comfortable living the next day as the last. It brings a hurriedness to life that's so counter to the slow movements that I enjoy more, like slow-food. They invite savouring, noticing, and presence.
Getting things done is often accompanied with a "live as if it's your last day" attitude. But your story tells us getting things done is possible with an infinite time mindset, because it it's meant to happen it will. 💯
Thank you, Eric! Love how you summarized this concept of slowness and the fact that embracing slowness and savoring and noticing doesn't mean wasting time but enriching it. I didn't know you played in a jazz band. What did you play? :)
I played piano. But I was classically trained and one of those musicians who has to read music and is terrible at improvisation. I tried, but didn’t really have the right teacher to spark my impro soul. My scary, white-haired, crooked-tooth 80 year old piano teacher only wanted to hear me play scales...
"My scary, white-haired, crooked-tooth 80 year old piano teacher only wanted to hear me play scales" -- what a great imagery! :)
“When God punishes you, it’s not that you don’t get what you want. You get everything that you want and there’s no time left.” - I'll be ruminating on this for the foreseeable future :)
I know, right? It just blew me away the first time I read it. So powerful. I, too, can't stop thinking about it. :) Thank you, Sairam.
You saw Miles Davis in a LIVE show? I'm jealous! It's interesting that you mentioned thinking about time as a dreadful exercise -- because I actively LOVE thinking about time. It gives me chills, goosebumps, excitement, joy, and sense of wonder. It's one of my favorite topics in any random and serious conversation. My old team and I used to play this game where they placed bets on when I'd fail to relate the weekly office story prompt (topics range from one's favorite way to eat a potato to most hated color) back to the topic of time. I won the bet every time ;)
Yes, seeing Miles live has been one of those experiences you fully realize only later on in life. Interesting that you love thinking about time, for some reason I wouldn't have said so. I myself hate it because it's got such a metaphysical primacy that I wouldn't know how to think about it, except noticing and witnessing its passage. To me, it's like thinking about existence. I sre could, but in what terms? After a while I'd go crazy. So, I don't. :)
You've had quite a life of amazing experiences Silvio, and grateful that you share them, and the insights they provoke, with us. Jealous that you got to see Miles Davis live, and more so in such a memorable performance.
Most of all, amazing way to tackle such a complicated topic which is time. It's been nice to entertain that thought about infinite time, and the liberation that brings. Thank you for always posing interesting and different scenarios to reconsider concepts, and life in general!
Seeing Miles live is such a life-boosting experience. Even in the conditions he was in. The man emanated charisma and energy and creativity and power. Thank you, Oscar, for your words. Experiences should always be shared. :)
Silvio, this gave me chills. I haven’t realized that I’m a part of the “infinite time” mindset until you so eloquently explained it. Definitely a fan of slow, simple, intentional living. Wonderful piece, as always!
Thank you so much, Grace, for your always beautiful words. Happy to see this idea resonate with you. And welcome to the infinite time mindset club! :)
Hi, just discovered this piece linked in Camilo’s essay. Found your exploration of time and connecting to Miles Davis fascinating. I’m in the carpe diem camp-- each day is the last one. I tend to take more risks and make more asks given my mindset. I don’t think of productivity so much as intention. Did I make some earnest attempt to do good? To be helpful? To make art or have an impact? In my tradition the smile is counted as an act of charity so I have a different calculus on how I understand time running out. I believe the soul will be with those you love in paradise so I’m not so worried about getting everything right now. I’m slowly savoring the delights of this life AND holding onto the possibility of more in another life.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Sadia. Interesting reflection. “In my tradition the smile is counted as an act of charity so I have a different calculus on how I understand time running out.” -- loved this.
“When God punishes you, it’s not that you don’t get what you want. You get everything that you want and there’s no time left.” This quote sat with me like coffee’s aftertaste. Powerful. Looking at the comments this strongly resonated with everyone.
This was a really interesting essay to read, Silvio. The idea of thinking of our lives as if we had “infinite time” is one that I’m not used to. I tend to follow the Stoic guidance of thinking of death as inevitable and that it could come at any moment. Yet, I do think you bring up a good point about the finiteness of time discouraging us from trying new things.
Every essay of yours gives me something both new and familiar. It’s like Italian food. I will always crave it, and I know generally what I will taste, but there is always a new element that leaves me delighted.
Bravo Silvio!
Thank you, Camilo. Death is inevitable, no question about that. It's just that thinking about that drains my energy and enthusiasm and willingness to delve into things. So the idea of treating time as something infinite (which, obviously, is not the case) is just my very personal way of eliminating it from the equation of life. I know it sounds absurd and paradoxical, but it's a state of mind. And as long as I can do it, it greatly benefits many areas of life.
Your parallel with Italian food is so interesting. Weirdly, it's like that for a native Italian as well!
(btw, I can't stop watching your AWA video! :))
Silvio, this is such an interesting treatment of a universal topic like time and mortality infused with your signature personal touch and life experiences. In some ways, it feels like an extension of our amazing conversations I'm so glad to enjoy and share with you.
I'm reminded of the Gandhi quote: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever."
I also recoil about the pressure that the pithy "carpe diem" entails. Life seems to be this balancing act between right here, right now and the interminable mystery of our very last day. Perhaps it is a gift that we do not know the exact moment of our demise (though I suppose death row inmates may be the exception), though I wonder if that would change our outlook. Tim Urban's thoughts and visualizations of life expectancy in weeks and boxes is certainly a powerful and practical application of memento mori.
And of course, I love the backdrop of Miles Davis, naturally.
I'll close with some lines I wrote...
and if Truth would leave a trail
to any hapless sot who dared
in his utter naivety and mortal impropriety,
to undertake its everlasting pursuit,
whose thirst for the Absolute,
as fervent as the reveler’s lust for wine:
in vino veritas, the search divine,
found and quaffed in a holy grail.
let me forsake mundane sobriety,
and partake of such vintage fine
with a sommelier’s tongue
and a monk’s heart sung,
a heartfelt toast to the end of time.
Thank you, Tai. Your comments are essays in and of themselves. I'm going to treasure this one and come back to it many times, I feel. Such beautiful words! Sometimes I stop and think about what we have in our writing group, which is truly exceptional. Talking about all these profound (as well as shallow) themes, every time enriched by the specific experiences of each one of us. It's just precious. :)
I can only imagine! And loved “life-boosting” experience 👌
"Not thinking about time, not worrying about how we have spent it and how much we have left, is probably the best way to honor the gift of life. . . time is there to serve us . . . I like to believe that time will always be there for us when the Universe deems it a critical ingredient of our endeavors." These are profound assertions Silvio and I resonate with them very much. I actually find myself using both contexts, switching from one to the other—too little time, and infinite time—quite often. I can enjoy both approaches depending on the moment I find myself in. But I've never heard the ample time perspective described quite in this way and I'm taking the time to luxuriate in it, or maybe the time is taking me.
Btw, is this a different account? I just noticed I'm not subscribed. Which I've always been! Weird. Anyway, I'll remedy that right away. :)
No, you are exactly right, it's a new account. I have two now. Courage Writer, and now this one, Break a Rule. Break a Rule is specifically targeted to professional success, growth and development.
Rick! Welcome back my friend. :)
Yours is an equally profound and interesting perspective. And that "or maybe the time is taking me" is awesome. It makes me think of someone who is so lost in whatever they feel and do and think that they let themselves be taken by time, be transported by it without paying too much attention. Which would be my ideal state of mind. :)
Thank you, as always, for you thoughtful comments!
You're like a legacy train station, one place you can go and be assured of hopping a ride to some really interesting place.
Love the story telling. I feel like you are leading me by the hand, allowing me I to your journey
Thank you, Karena. This is very important to me. Glad it comes out.