Years vanish. Months collapse. Time is like a tall building made of playing cards. It seems orderly until a strong gust of wind comes along and blows the whole thing skyward. Imagine it: an entire deck of cards soaring like a flock of birds.

Dani Shapiro
About This Quote

This poem illustrates the passage of time, which is often difficult to comprehend. The speaker compares the passing of time to a tall building made of playing cards. However, when a strong gust of wind blows through the building, it becomes clear that the entire structure is in danger of collapsing. Similarly, when we are in close contact with someone who appears to be moving quickly towards the future, we often assume that they will continue to advance in their career or in their life for many years to come. However, when we look back on our lives in five or ten years’ time, we realize that what seemed so certain at the time was in fact just a fleeting moment in which nothing happened at all.

Source: Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage

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