Tammy's avatar
Tammy

June 16, 2025

1
The Meaning of Time

Recently, I noticed that whether you like it or not, there is a meaning to your time.

Sometimes it's excellent, sometimes it's a profound lesson, and sometimes it's chaotic if you don't take more time to look back and reflect on it. And sometimes, it is terrible.

For the most part, these meanings could be planned, even though there might be a little bit of discrepancies in the end. In these situations, establishing goals and plans in advance would be a good practice, followed by effective execution.

At other times, you can't control the situation. Then, it's time to do your best and leave the rest to God. And that's not the worst time.

The worst time is when you let everything go, spending your time like a ghost without a brain. When you look back afterward, the memories of that period seem like a black hole, leaving you unable to reflect on them.

I don't want to have black holes in my life.


最近注意到,不管喜欢与否,时间都是有意义的。

有时是极好的,有时是深刻的教训,有时是混乱的,如果你不花更多的时间去回顾和反思的话。更有时候,会是可怖的。

大多数情况下,这些意义是可以计划的,即使结果可能会有一点点差异。在这些情况下,提前设定目标和计划将是一个很好的作法,之后再有效地执行。

在其他一些时候,你无法控制局面。那么,尽人事听天命就好。这还不是最糟糕的时候。

最糟糕的时候是放任自流,像幽灵一样地虚度了光阴。再回首时,那段时间的记忆仿佛黑洞一般,无从反省。

不想要生活中有黑洞。

Corrections

Recently, I noticed that whether you like it or not, there is a meaning to your timeyour time has a meaning.

有意义的 more closely translates to significant. To have meaning, as in having value, or having significance is a thing you can say in English, but here, the way meaning is used grammatically would be closer to "the definition of" which is possible in this sort of metaphorical way but you may have to use different words.

Sometimes it's meaning is excellentce, sometimes it's a profound lesson, and sometimes it's chaoticmeaning is parable, and sometimes its meaning is chaos (especially, if you don't take morthe time to look back and reflect on it).

I think the poetics work better if you give time a set of different meanings that are single words. "Parable" is a story that is used to teach a particular lesson, which is why I chose it here.

And sometimes, it is terribles meaning is misery.

I chose misery here, because it is not a word that normal describes time (i.e. good time, bad time, excellent time, chaotic time) because it leans into the idea that these are meanings of time and this connection is metaphorical.

For the most part, these meanings could be planned, even though there might be a little bit ofyou can guide your time towards a certain meaning, even though there may be some discrepancies inwith the end result.

I rephrased the middle clause with something I felt is more natural.

In these situations, establishing goals and plans in advance would be a good practice, followed bymaking plans and following up with effective execution is good practice.

At other times, you can't control the situationmeaning.

Stick with your metaphor.

Then, it's time toIn those times, you do your best and leave the rest to God.

And that'sBut those are not the worst times.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" is the opening line to A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. When a time is not a singular specific moment, and is instead a generalization like it is here, it is better to use the plural form.

The worst time iss are when you let everything go, spending your time like a ghost without a brain.

When you look back afterward, the memories of that period seemare like a black hole, leaving you unable to reflect on themnot even a glimpse.

Changed the language here to be a bit more figurative, playing with the idea that not even light can escape a black whole. Feel free to use a different image.

I don't want to have black holes in my life.

Feedback

I am a writer in English and spend a good amount of time critiquing other native English speakers creative writing so some of my feedback is more from that perspective. I enjoyed this, I think this is a fun essay that makes relatively good use of figurative language, if in a bit of an awkward way because of the discrepancies between the way you can use the word "meaning" in Chinese and English. Overall, good job, keep up the good work!

Tammy's avatar
Tammy

June 17, 2025

1

Thank you so much for such detailed feedback and corrections! I've learned a lot from them.

Have a nice day!

fivebbbbb's avatar
fivebbbbb

June 17, 2025

0

Of course! I'm glad they were appreciated. :]

The Meaning of Time


Recently, I noticed that whether you like it or not, there is a meaning to your time.


Recently, I noticed that whether you like it or not, there is a meaning to your timeyour time has a meaning.

有意义的 more closely translates to significant. To have meaning, as in having value, or having significance is a thing you can say in English, but here, the way meaning is used grammatically would be closer to "the definition of" which is possible in this sort of metaphorical way but you may have to use different words.

And sometimes, it is terrible.


And sometimes, it is terribles meaning is misery.

I chose misery here, because it is not a word that normal describes time (i.e. good time, bad time, excellent time, chaotic time) because it leans into the idea that these are meanings of time and this connection is metaphorical.

The worst time is when you let everything go, spending your time like a ghost without a brain.


The worst time iss are when you let everything go, spending your time like a ghost without a brain.

Sometimes it's excellent, sometimes it's a profound lesson, and sometimes it's chaotic if you don't take more time to look back and reflect on it.


Sometimes it's meaning is excellentce, sometimes it's a profound lesson, and sometimes it's chaoticmeaning is parable, and sometimes its meaning is chaos (especially, if you don't take morthe time to look back and reflect on it).

I think the poetics work better if you give time a set of different meanings that are single words. "Parable" is a story that is used to teach a particular lesson, which is why I chose it here.

For the most part, these meanings could be planned, even though there might be a little bit of discrepancies in the end.


For the most part, these meanings could be planned, even though there might be a little bit ofyou can guide your time towards a certain meaning, even though there may be some discrepancies inwith the end result.

I rephrased the middle clause with something I felt is more natural.

In these situations, establishing goals and plans in advance would be a good practice, followed by effective execution.


In these situations, establishing goals and plans in advance would be a good practice, followed bymaking plans and following up with effective execution is good practice.

At other times, you can't control the situation.


At other times, you can't control the situationmeaning.

Stick with your metaphor.

Then, it's time to do your best and leave the rest to God.


Then, it's time toIn those times, you do your best and leave the rest to God.

And that's not the worst time.


And that'sBut those are not the worst times.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" is the opening line to A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. When a time is not a singular specific moment, and is instead a generalization like it is here, it is better to use the plural form.

When you look back afterward, the memories of that period seem like a black hole, leaving you unable to reflect on them.


When you look back afterward, the memories of that period seemare like a black hole, leaving you unable to reflect on themnot even a glimpse.

Changed the language here to be a bit more figurative, playing with the idea that not even light can escape a black whole. Feel free to use a different image.

I don't want to have black holes in my life.


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