Recently I was staring up at the clock in class while teaching, and it struck me how fleeting our time is. We often act as if we have an unlimited amount of it left, yet it is a very finite resource, if not the scarcest of all.

This realization, when we consciously think about it, often can serve as a push to be a better person. When we forget this, its easy to be lazy and passive rather than actively doing the things you want to do in life. This does not mean working incessantly, but simply making the most of each moment, whether by working, pursuing your passions, or relaxing with loved ones.

As a result, I decided to create a „life clock“ countdown using a few basic estimates for my own life expectancy. Albeit a bit grim in some regards, I‘ll sometimes throw it up on a screen while working on a challenging task, such as writing, as a reminder of how precious each moment is. You might not enjoy every activity in life, in fact, you probably won‘t, but at least in this way one can come to see things as an opportunity for growth. Some days it‘s a bit too much (I tried it out as my browser‘s home screen and didn‘t like that) but on others it‘s just the kick needed to get moving and living life to the fullest.

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Photo is a kayaking snowman to lighten the mood. I saw this mural on my bike ride home from teaching in Toyama, Japan, when my host sister and I would take a shortcut through a shopping plaza, hiding from the sun along the way.