25 January - Its all About Percentages

Im 42. And I’ve been thinking for some time now about how as you grow older, time seems to go faster. Whether you like it or not.
 
I mean, when I was a kid, the End of Year school holidays seemed like an eternity. But now, as we approach Grace returning for her second year of school in three days, I can barely believe how fast the holidays have gone. In fact, I can barely believe she is starting Prep already.
 
But Im sure for Grace, the holidays have seemed like an ETERNITY!
 
Ive now decided I have the answer. I know why waiting until next week seemed like such a chore as a 5yo, but as a 42yo it seems like no problem at all. Its all about Percentages.
 
Its not that my perception of time changes. Its that the actual physical amount of time becomes a smaller percent of my life, thus making it seem smaller.
 
Lets look at the math using school holidays (which are approximately 6 weeks over the New year break)
 
At age 5, we have been alive for approximately 260 weeks. Of which, a 6 week break makes up roughly 2.3%. That means that at this age, 2.3% of Graces life is this school holiday break.
 
But for me, at age 42, Ive been around approximately 2184 weeks. and a 6 week break is only 0.3% roughly. That is about 7.6 times less than at age 5.
 
Which logically, means it feels 7.6 shorter. so you can also equate that at these ages, as 1 week for Grace feels like 1 day for me.
 
And as I get older, it just gets progressively worse. By the time Im 70, that will have reduced again, and 6 weeks will only be 0.16% of my total life.
 
Looking at it the other way, for Eli at 2, hes been alive only about 104 weeks. Thats nearly 6% of his life in this one school holiday break.
 
So its no wonder, that as Im wondering where the time went with my 0.3%, Grace is ready to go back to school, and Eli has forgotten already that Grace even goes to school, its been so long for him since she was last there!