Understanding Time: Is It Eternalism or Presentism?

In the Present Moment, I Choose to See and Hear Others

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 46 seconds

As the end of October approaches, my morning walks either begin in darkness or I wait for the first rays of sunlight to peek above the treetops. In just over three days, thanks to Benjamin Franklin’s concept of moving morning daylight to the evening in the summer, it will be darker at night, allowing for sunnier morning walks. While I may benefit temporarily from the semi-annual clock change, I wish we could spend less time adjusting the clocks and more time contemplating the meaning of life and how to make the most of the time we have.

Finding meaning in life has always been a priority for me. Regular readers know that I attribute my survival after loss to discovering purpose through faith, community, volunteering, walking, reading, and striving to be the best version of myself. Being human, I leave the determination of my success to others.

In my view, time is non-linear and therefore difficult to quantify. Last week, I read “Heart the Lover” by Lily King, and the narrator, Jordan, struggles with the concepts of the past, present, and future. Specifically, she mentions:

“Eternalism is the belief that everything that is, has been, and will be exists right now and forever, all at once. Presentism is the belief that only what exists in the present exists at all. Nothing before and nothing after. No exceptions,” muses Jordan in “Heart the Lover.”

I do not find either perspective entirely satisfying. Eternalism, often referred to as the Block Universe theory, posits that the past, present, and future are all equally real and hold equal importance. According to this view, the universe is a unified entity that spans both space and time. In this scenario, are our lives predetermined? If we had complete knowledge of the world, could we predict future events? Would it be possible because specific, consistently applicable underlying laws govern occurrences in the universe?

On the other hand, presentism, also known as the Growing Block Universe theory, asserts that only present events truly exist. According to this idea, the future has not yet occurred and remains undetermined, while the past has departed but still influences the present.

I find this viewpoint more comfortable, as I agree with William Faulkner’s statement: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past. All of us labor in webs spun long before we were born—webs of heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity.”

Accepting that the past is an integral part of us explains the complexity of time and how we live in the only day we are guaranteed to have. Too many of us, knowing that the present is all that exists, focus on the short term rather than on how our lives shape the future.

Having found meaning after loss, I take comfort in the thought that, as Rabbi Uri Allen shared during the High Holidays, our shadow represents our effort to bring God into the world.

For me, in the present moment, to see and hear others as Rabbi Sharon Brous defines the word “Amen” in “The Amen Effect” is essential. Not only does this allow me to bring the holy into my day-to-day life, but it also enables me to shape the future, one day and one person at a time.

Let me know your thoughts.

Amen.