The fleeting nature of time serves as an adversary for nearly all living beings. In the wild, a grazing rabbit cannot linger too long without risking becoming prey. Similarly, a predator in the wild must act swiftly; hesitation allows its quarry to take sudden notice and escape. The passage of time establishes a natural sense of urgency in most living beings, forcing animals to be in a perpetual race to act quickly and efficiently for survival._* And, over the long term, time manifests a more sinister property of gradually pushing life into decay—bodies eventually weaken, and, unfortunately, life diminishes. In this context, one might assert that time inherently carries the essence of a silent adversary for all living beings over the long term._† However, as human beings, somewhere along the line in the depths of our past, our hunter and gatherer ancestors have redefined their relationship with time by developing consciousness and the ability to contemplate on the future with the understanding of the nature of time. Through the development of our conscious faculties, we have somehow transformed time from a full adversary into a partial ally when needed. We are the only living beings on Earth capable of harnessing the passage of time to our advantage when we want to. Humans possess the unique ability to sit, reflect, and strategize, using time as a tool to solve problems. Our capacity for imagination and the willingness to learn through trial and error enabled us to approach challenges with patience and foresight, transforming the passage of time into a powerful resource for survival, growth, and advancement when needed.

Consider the way we visually focus on an object, move toward it, and use our hands to interact with it—like the process of picking an orange from a tree. Our pointing eyes coordinate seamlessly with the body, enabling precise interaction with objects. Evolution has fine tuned our bodies for relevent functionality, transitioning from four-legged mobility to an upright stance with two free arms capable of manipulating and carrying objects. This transformation embodies the inherent purposefulness of evolution, aligning with the direction of our gaze and its focused, targeted pursuit of progress. In nature’s dance with time, nothing evolves simply for the sake of it; each specific adaptation serves an important purpose, which needed to be addressed during a multitude of struggling generations in the past.₁

When we shift our focus to the smaller scale of time—the span of a single lifetime—we can observe numerous examples of how time aligns with and responds to our intentions as well. For the human body, for instance, inactivity leads to atrophy and physical decline, a natural consequence of time’s passage, further exacerbated when idleness and prolonged inactivity dominate an individual’s lifestyle. Only through consistent exercise, we can reverse this trajectory, using time to build and sustain strength, resilience, and vitality. Daily physical activity and exercise not only combats decay but also extends both health and life spans, enabling us to thrive rather than simply endure gradual decay through time. Thus, it is safe to say that our relationship with time is not fixated; it is shaped by how we choose to utilize it, in other words, by our philosophy towards the passage of time and our actions. Through embracing conscious action and disciplined routines, we can make time our ally in the long term, using it to enhance our lives and postpone inevitable decay.

Our sensory perceptions—sight, taste, smell, hearing, and touch—are limited to what is necessary for our survival and interaction with the world. For instance, our vision is confined to a narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum because it allows us to only perceive tangible objects that are relevant to our survival. In contrast, other wavelengths, like radio waves and microwaves, remain invisible to us because they lack immediate utility. This purposeful selectivity underscores how evolution tailors our abilities to meet our ever-evolving practical needs. Undeniably, the reality of existence extends beyond the dimensions we can naturally perceive. There are aspects of the natural world that remain inaccessible to us. Yet, the evolution of our sensory systems has been guided by utility—by what enables us to survive and thrive. It discards and postpones developing what it believes to be unnecessary. Evolutionary forces embedded in our genes respond to the signals conveyed by our willpower and focused attention—essentially, it looks at what direction we aim to be at the scale of a multitude of generations. Such adaptations of the evolutionary forces operate at an exceptionally slow pace, often requiring hundreds of thousands of years to complete them. However, I believe that our efforts to maintain and enhance the capabilities of the mind and body contribute—however minuscule— to the broader evolutionary process. By engaging in such conscious actions we not only convert time to be an ally in the short term but also get an opportunity to influence its impact across generations. In doing so, we shoulder a profound power and responsibility, for we possess the ability, however minuscule, to influence the trajectory of the evolution of our species.

*Regarding the response of living beings to time and their urgency in the race against it, one might readily consider the development of reflexes—rapid, involuntary responses that bypass conscious thought and act autonomously. Could this not be viewed as an evolutionary adaptation, a biological shortcut, or even a sort of “cheat” in the race against time, enabling organisms to respond instantly to potential threats, ensuring survival in critical moments?

†Yet, it may also be argued that the passage of time and the inevitable death of living beings pave the way for renewal—giving rise to new life, fresh perspectives, and progress for all who are part of the interconnected continuum of existence.

‡This Velázquez painting, with its exquisite portrayal of a seemingly ordinary moment, masterfully illustrates the passage of time and its impact on the human condition. The stark contrast between the youthful figure and the weathered waterseller—whose facial expressions and textured skin vividly reflect the relentless effects of time—offers a profound meditation on aging and life’s inevitable progression.

Footnotes:

1) The beginning chapters of Mastery by Robert Greene are relevant to this paragraph.

Image Credits:

Image 1: https://smarthistory.org/velazquez-the-waterseller-of-seville/