Time Speeds up in the city

The city and the Outback – two contrasting places. Australia is a nation that encompasses both. The slower beat of the outback is challenged by the pace of life in the city with its tall buildings, sealed roads, and the hustle and bustle of a place that never sleeps. In the city, time speeds up in the rush of activity.

The Outback also never sleeps. It is always breathing, its weather patterns often unpredictable, life unfurling and renewed whenever the rare and precious rain falls. The mornings come scarlet and gold, and the evenings close in the faltering light of sunset. The lifestyle is laid back and unrestricted.

The coastline of Australia hosts its major cities. These places barrel ahead, with citizens grasping brief snatches of respite when they can. Not everything about these places is unpleasant. There are things to do, people to meet, and destinations to travel to. The ocean is often peaceful and picturesque, hugging the edges of these metropolitan centres. They hold a different kind of beauty.

Homebush, Sydney (Photo credit: Andrew Morell)

But amidst this, life accelerates at break-neck speed. The rat race is alive and well. Making ends meet, the crowds and the commutes are all part of surviving in the city. Residents must intentionally pause and notice the land on which they stand, the promise of dawn, and the closure of dusk. 

The power of noticing in both the city and Outback is that we see our environment with new eyes. This then gives us the strength to navigate the stresses of day-to-day life no matter where we are located. Time might speed up or slow down depending on the conditions, but the one certainty is that it passes. Breathing in the world around us means we must take every opportunity and live fully.