“The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.”
Image credits：Aronsyne,”Lewis, age 48″,CC BY-SA 4.0,C.S.-Lewis – C. S. Lewis – Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963
- Born in Ireland
- Writer, scholar
- Had a major influence on fantasy literature and religious thought through his many works, including the Chronicles of Narnia series and The Poetics of Christianity
Quote
“The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.”
Explanation
In this quote, C. S. Lewis reflects on the inevitable passage of time and the way in which everyone experiences the future. Regardless of who we are or what we do, we all move forward in time at the same constant rate—one hour at a time, or 60 minutes each hour. Lewis underscores the democratic nature of time, emphasizing that no matter one’s status, wealth, or efforts, time moves at the same pace for everyone. The quote may also suggest a subtle commentary on the way we sometimes try to control or hasten the future, but ultimately, it comes for us all at the same steady pace. This inevitability serves as a reminder that the future is something that is always approaching, whether we feel ready for it or not.
Historically, Lewis often wrote about the concept of time in relation to human experience and eternity. He believed that while we are bound by time in our earthly lives, the Christian faith offers a perspective that looks beyond the temporal and into the eternal. In works like Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters, he explored how people relate to the future and their own mortality, often with a sense of urgency or anxiety about the passage of time. Lewis saw time as both a gift and a challenge—something that shapes our lives and our decisions, but also something we must learn to embrace without fear, understanding that it is part of God’s greater plan.
In the modern context, this quote encourages us to reflect on how we view time and the future. In a world where people are often preoccupied with ambition, productivity, or long-term goals, Lewis’s words remind us that time moves forward regardless of our attempts to control it. It invites us to accept the present moment and be mindful of how we spend our time, rather than constantly rushing toward the future or obsessing over what is yet to come. The quote suggests that in the grand scheme of life, our efforts to manipulate or speed up the future may be futile, and it is more important to learn how to live fully in the present and accept time as a constant, rather than something to be conquered.
