My daughter’s elementary school hosts an art program every year, and this year’s theme was “Tiny Things Matter.” Despite the cancellation of school, I’m happy to report that the show did go on, albeit virtually. Her entry depicted the importance of the honey bee. I noticed as the other entries were presented that about 90% of them were also connected to nature. Among them were ants on a tree, dandelion seed puffs waiting to be blown, clovers nudging their way up between the rocks, and rain droplets on leaves. In my mind’s eye, I could see the children taking pause to observe these wonders while adults breezed on by.

I remember being outside all the time as a child. I climbed trees, tramped around in the ravine, and played hide and seek in fields of tall grass. I’d burn wood with a magnifying glass, build forts in the woods, and throw sticks in the quicksand down behind the neighbor’s house just to watch them disappear. I’d let daddy long-legs, fuzzy caterpillars, and inch worms climb up my arms during the day, and light up mason jars with fireflies on summer evenings. I don’t like admitting that most of these pastimes faded out as adolescence took hold.

During the stay-at-home order, my daughter and I have been capitalizing on the opportunity to be outside and observe the changes that spring ushers in, when we would otherwise be sitting at a desk in an office or classroom. Our lunchtime walks have become part of our new daily routine, and I will miss them dearly when schools reopen. Despite the phenomenally thick layer of pollen, springtime is quite beautiful here in North Carolina. My mom threw her back out and has not been able to go on walks, so I send her pictures of what we see on ours.

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Other than the sights, sounds, and scents of spring, the best part of these walks is that we can take our time. Before the world closed, I was always in such a rush. There was no time to smell the flowers and make wishes on dandelions.

But time is tricky. Time flies when you’re having fun. We grow up and wonder where all the time went. When we’re bored or unhappy we plead for time to hurry up. We don’t have time, so we try to make time, so that we can take our time. And time is relative, right Einstein? Apparently the experience of time is also subjective.

I did a little digging around and came across a study that shows when people experience the feeling of awe, an effect is the subjective expansion of time. In other words, when we give more attention to something, and are more emotionally engaged in that moment, we actually feel as though time is slowing down, and we are thereby gifted with more time. To children, everything is new and awesome. So by taking the time to focus on all that is new, they are slowing time. They might even have the power to reverse time; they are juvenescent! To adults, everything is old news, so we speed past everything. Been there, done that. Seen it. And then BAM!, we’re old and wondering how time passed us by.

Slow down. Be mindful. Go for a walk and stop to look into the intricate face of an iris. Search for the perfect skipping stones. Grab a pair of binoculars and look for birds camping out in trees. Carry along a magnifying glass and spy on the busy bugs. Reopen your eyes to the awesomeness of nature, and maybe you can harness the power to expand time.

What do you find awe-inspiring? When is the last time you were able to give your undivided attention to something? What engages your emotions to the point that you feel completely in the moment?