Time is truly an unstoppable force of nature. As this is invisible yet unrelenting process moves forward, it touches pretty much every single thing in our lives. Humans experience time in a few ways but perhaps the most potent is the process of aging. We see the effects of time in our daily lives although it is not something that is physically tangible, at least not yet. One day technology may reach the point to which we can see and maybe even travel back and forth through time, but that feels like science fiction or hundreds of years away.
One of the visible consequences of time is how the world around us is in a constant state of change. The days turn to nights, the seasons change from hot to cold, and the products and items we own and use also suffer these effects. Things wear down as you use them, often completely transforming from their original or brand new state.
1
“These boots were made for walking... 4 years of wear and found the same boot still available!”
2
“New vs ~2 month old Scotch-Brite pad”
3
“My 3-year-old daughter’s much-loved rabbit, and its Christmas identical replacement”
4
My Dad has worn this spoon down over 30 years from scraping the bottom of cooking pans and pots.
5
The condensation on this bar of soap.
7
I found an old candy dispenser with melted skittles.
8
It’s still there – after 20 years.
9
What 3000+ miles of biking will do to a pair of gloves.
10
The sun has bleached the corner of the carpet in this shop window over time.
11
I had no idea these grips were originally hot pink until I cut them off.
12
Shovel used by an elderly client to shovel her steps since 1978.
13
29 year old Bike lock I left at my public school in grade 7.
14
My Great Grandfather’s WWI dog tags.
15
Old Air Purifier HEPA filter on the left vs brand new one on the right.
16
I have an old basketball in my backyard that has the space jam logo on it.
17
The new and old pallet jacks at my work!
18
Old vs New leather phone case.
19
Some more well worn brakes.
20
Both of my lights burnt out – one turned white while the other turned black.
21
The same wooden cover on the building, but one part is under the balcony. 10 years of weather.
22
IKEA dish soap dispenser tip (new one in the background).
23
The cracks in my screen protector.
24
Divots in my basketball after 2 weeks of finger spinning.
25
New vs. one working day cleaning archaeological ceramics.
26
This piece of a brick wall weathered into a stone I found on the shore of Lake Ontario.
27
Furnace filter vs. two weeks of wildfire smoke.
28
After 15 years of hard work it’s time to retire my old Red Wings.
29
Handrail in a stairwell at work.
30
Puddles after rain show the spots where the wheels are in this parking lot.
31
Bought two well-used decks of UNO at a yard sale for .50¢ dated 1979 and 1983. Both decks have all 108 cards.
32
My dad’s old Leatherman holster and his new one. He hardly ever buys things online and was super excited to show this off to me.
33
New vs used electrodes for my pool ionizer.
34
I had to retire the Admiral today. It’s been a rough decade.
35
I wonder… what might the password be?
36
“My daughter’s well-loved Pip vs Brand-new”
37
“$500 bundles of $1 bills, Uncirculated vs Circulated”
38
“Same sweater, approximately 10 years difference”
39
“Finally got a new brush after 3+ years of use.”
40
“My girlfriend replaced my favorite hat for me for Christmas.”
41
“A 2-year filled bullet journal compared with a fresh one for the new year.”
42
“Out with the old, in with the new!”
