The fourth dimension is a concept that is hard to grasp. The notion of "Before Time" is often bandied about but can we imagine a universe where time did not exist? Without time of course, nothing can happen. Any event can only occur during the passage of a finite period of time and so our lives, and all of the changes and events that make them up are dependent upon the passage of time.
When we were children, time seemed to pass so very slowly. Every day was a long one, summers and winters lasted an eternity and the years crawled by. It took a great deal of time to grow up. It even seemed to slow down when anticipating birthdays or special treats.
As adults, time passes faster and faster, its relative speed being in direct proportion to deadlines and unwanted appointments.
Maybe time is actually speeding up. If it were, then we'd probably not be able to measure it, as events that we use to measure time would also adjust accordingly. Maybe it is just our concept of time that changes as we get older and the past stretches out behind us and our mortality seems to be hurtling towards us .
Oscar loves to come to grandad's house for the occasional sleepover. It gives his parents a break and he knows that he will get lots of attention and that his obsessions with space rockets and diggers will be encouraged. He stayed over the other night and enjoyed the Hipad, the puter and the bricks. He loves grandads big bath and the big bed that he gets to sleep in. He likes Grandad to read his bedtime story and he sleeps well. That is he sleeps well until around 5.30 am. At this unearthly time of day, he gets out of bed and needs help using the toilet. After which he likes to get into bed with grandma and grandad while he wakes up and grandad tries to get back to sleep.
I was lying quite still hoping that he would doze off the other morning, when after a few moments of peace, a small voice said
"Grandad; in a minute we can go and dig in the garden."
I said "Yes Oscar, in a minute." and closed my eyes again. There was a silence that lasted all of 30 seconds, then
"Grandad; in a minute we can go and play with the bricks."
"Yes Oscar, in a minute. Why not try to sleep for a while. It isn't morning yet."
Thirty seconds later Oscar Sits up.
"Grandad; where is the Hipad?"
He knows very well where it is and I know that my night is done. So at quarter to six I am up with Oscar, looking at diggers and dinosaurs on the iPad, playing with bricks and generally avoiding going out in the garden where it is still cold, in order to dig.
Oscar's concept of time is so very different to mine and so I have to adapt to his, which can be quite hard, especially before six am. His sleepovers are lovely but very testing, and a reminder perhaps of why childhood days seemed so long - it was because they start so bloody early.
When we were children, time seemed to pass so very slowly. Every day was a long one, summers and winters lasted an eternity and the years crawled by. It took a great deal of time to grow up. It even seemed to slow down when anticipating birthdays or special treats.
As adults, time passes faster and faster, its relative speed being in direct proportion to deadlines and unwanted appointments.
Maybe time is actually speeding up. If it were, then we'd probably not be able to measure it, as events that we use to measure time would also adjust accordingly. Maybe it is just our concept of time that changes as we get older and the past stretches out behind us and our mortality seems to be hurtling towards us .
Oscar loves to come to grandad's house for the occasional sleepover. It gives his parents a break and he knows that he will get lots of attention and that his obsessions with space rockets and diggers will be encouraged. He stayed over the other night and enjoyed the Hipad, the puter and the bricks. He loves grandads big bath and the big bed that he gets to sleep in. He likes Grandad to read his bedtime story and he sleeps well. That is he sleeps well until around 5.30 am. At this unearthly time of day, he gets out of bed and needs help using the toilet. After which he likes to get into bed with grandma and grandad while he wakes up and grandad tries to get back to sleep.
I was lying quite still hoping that he would doze off the other morning, when after a few moments of peace, a small voice said
"Grandad; in a minute we can go and dig in the garden."
I said "Yes Oscar, in a minute." and closed my eyes again. There was a silence that lasted all of 30 seconds, then
"Grandad; in a minute we can go and play with the bricks."
"Yes Oscar, in a minute. Why not try to sleep for a while. It isn't morning yet."
Thirty seconds later Oscar Sits up.
"Grandad; where is the Hipad?"
He knows very well where it is and I know that my night is done. So at quarter to six I am up with Oscar, looking at diggers and dinosaurs on the iPad, playing with bricks and generally avoiding going out in the garden where it is still cold, in order to dig.
Oscar's concept of time is so very different to mine and so I have to adapt to his, which can be quite hard, especially before six am. His sleepovers are lovely but very testing, and a reminder perhaps of why childhood days seemed so long - it was because they start so bloody early.
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