Learning to dilate time

Learning is a continuous experience, a never-ending path that we travel from birth to death if we want if we can, if we prepare for it. We must learn to learn.

Along this life path, humility is revealed as an essential condition to learn, grow, and expand time.

Recognizing that there is always something new to discover, that what we call reality never ceases to surprise us, and that life, without learning, becomes a meaningless repetition, is fundamental to living a full and meaningful life.

When humility motivates us to remain open to learning, life is transformed from a routine, monotonous, and repetitive activity, which accentuates the feeling that time, instead of enriching us, flies, to an adventure in which we never stop surprising and transforming ourselves.

Humility also allows us to learn from those around us regardless of age, class, race, etc. (Humility opens us to recognize our dignity and that of all the people around us and therefore we pay attention to what they share with us.)

Humility in the context of learning makes it easier for us to accept that, despite what we already know, there is always more to discover, to go deeper into, to see from another perspective: The determination to learn leads us to reflect, to savor ideas and connect with our emotions and with our body, which is the vehicle through which we perceive the world, to then give our concepts meaning and develop a narrative that allows us to organize the stimuli to learn from them and incorporate them.

The willingness to admit that we do not know everything, that our perceptions can be limited as well as our ideas, and that other points of view can offer us valuable perspectives keeps us open, attentive, and passionate.

This attitude is crucial because it opens us up to new ideas, allows us to question our assumptions, and encourages us to seek knowledge beyond the obvious, over what we already have as baggage, or what over time has become a dogma that we carry on our shoulders.

When we approach learning with humility, we recognize that knowledge is vast and unfathomable and that our understanding of the world is always partial and under construction. This attitude keeps us in a state of openness and curiosity, which is essential for intellectual robustness and human quality.

Without humility, we risk stagnating in our current beliefs and knowledge, closing ourselves off to the learning opportunities that continually present ourselves in life. Without humility, we consider ourselves superior to others and feel a false sense of personal importance, which isolates us from warm human contact. It also makes us think that time is flying by.

As we delve deeper into any field of knowledge, be it science, art, philosophy, cooking, or even our own experiences, we realize there is always more to discover. Humility allows us to maintain an attitude of wonder toward this reality, recognizing that no matter how much we learn, there will always be aspects that amaze us and challenge our previous understandings.

This capacity for wonder is crucial to keeping learning alive and living a meaningful life. If we believe that we have already seen it all or think we already know it all, we deprive ourselves of the possibility of experiencing life in all its richness.

Humility reminds us that reality is a constantly evolving mystery and that our task as learners is to be alert, always willing to be surprised, and let that surprise drive us to learn more.

Without learning, life can become a monotonous repetition of empty routines. When we think we know everything, we confuse the map with the territory.

Without a passion for learning, as we age and our daily lives have fewer meaningful experiences but more routines, and because we use the number of new memories to measure how much time has passed, a normal week that is not memorable gives the illusion that time is flying by.

Learning is therefore the antidote to letting time slip through our fingers. To learn, you do not necessarily have to have a partner, money, or technology, but rather the enthusiasm to delve deeper and broaden your angle of vision. Cultivating reflection, dialogue, camaraderie, and community life also dilate time and give us the feeling that life is worthwhile and is here and now.

If you want to perceive time more like you did in your childhood, fill it with new experiences, external or internal. Reading is an internal experience, for example.

When we stop learning, we lose the ability to renew ourselves, to adapt to new circumstances, and to find meaning in our lives. Life becomes predictable and boring, and with it comes the feeling that time flies, that days, weeks and years pass without leaving a mark on our existence.

This feeling that time flies is often a symptom of a lack of learning. When we are immersed in the process of learning, time takes on a different rhythm; it is enriched by discovery and reflection. Each day becomes an opportunity to deepen knowledge and expand our understanding of the world and ourselves. Without this dynamic, time loses its density and accelerates, leaving us feeling that life is slipping through our fingers.

Continuous learning, supported by humility, allows us to live fully and consciously. It helps us find purpose and meaning in our actions, face life's challenges with creativity, and maintain a deep connection with the world without forgetting that it allows us to experience the passage of time as an enriching phenomenon.

By recognizing that there is always something new to learn, we remain young in spirit, curious, and committed to our development. This attitude toward life allows us to help our families, communities, and the world in a meaningful way.

#learning #humility #time #hummingbirduniverse