"Lost Time is Never Found Again"

“Lost time is never found again.” This aphorism by Benjamin Franklin is one that justifies many of my impatient complaints that I have experienced throughout most of my adult life. Its message is clear, and its delivery is subtly full of guilt. Moreover, my patience is set aside as this quote sends a message to never do such thing as set things aside. Ironic as that may sound; this anti-procrastinating statement is sending a message of fulfilling your life now, for you may not have time to fulfill it in your future. Furthermore, it is calling upon the world to live out only the greatest aspects of our lives at the present moment, and not put it off until tomorrow. Because of this uncertainty of a tomorrow, all we have right now is a chance—a chance to be fulfilled. It tells to not dawdle over the little details that squander the small time we have on this earth. All we have is the here and now. In the future, whatever today brings should not be looked at with regret for time was wasted. It is time to enjoy your life now, because time is only running out, and it can never be found again.
This quote achieves this meaning by calling upon the reader to take action. It provokes a feeling of guilt, as though the audience is not living up to its expectations as a human being. This guilt comes from the fact that we are so fortunate to have this time right now, and you may not be doing everything in your power to make the best of it. As part of the audience, I feel this guilt so strongly because it makes you regret past decisions and think about the future. It creates a sense of hope as well. This is known by the fact that we can still find time in our future, though the past may be lost. We still have a chance.
This aphorism uses inductive reasoning to express its message. This is known because the message is constructed off of certainty. You cannot go back in time—this is certain. Its foundation is laid with known facts, and a theory is created. With this theory, one can build a better future while knowing this information. This logical argument could be considered deductive as well, because it relies on truth to bring about a logical conclusion. Therefore, though the truth may be harsh, time is being lost so we must spend it wisely. Contrarily, I feel this quote focuses more on pathos and ethos. It evokes emotion from the audience through its sense of regret for the past and anticipation for the future. The reader is called upon to think about what they are not doing right or what they could be doing better. This is tied to ethos, because there are some ethics behind wasting time that could be cherished by someone else. For example, those dying of cancer would do anything in their power to have the confidence that they will find their time tomorrow. Your time wasted, could be another person’s time cherished.
In addition, this quote has a unique approach of conveying its message through its ironic word choice. Even with as little as six words, Benjamin Franklin was able to impact the audience. He plays on the term “Lost and Found;” like how an object that goes missing can be easily found, returned and reused. It can even be lost again, and this cycle may continue because it is just a possession or a tangible item. However, an intangible object such as time can never be found again. Once it flies past you, it’s not coming back—it won’t be found and returned, and you definitely will not get the chance to reuse it again. Similarly, time can be juxtaposed to other important intangible aspects of life, like love. Much like our limited opportunities with time, one can either embrace love or waste it. The feeling of being loved should be valued, like time. If it is wasted, it will follow the same path as the time that went with it, and the opportunities that were once offered to you will have been squandered.
Though there are many aphorisms that focus on living in the moment, I feel this quote is unique in its diction. It provokes several emotions that call the reader to action, and it uses a tinge of irony to put these words into thoughts. Though its message may be clichéd, its delivery is short and original. Because it is of few words, it leaves more thought and interpretation to the reader than other quotes that are hackneyed and overused. The message is clear, but the afterthoughts are more abstract and personal to the reader and can be interpreted to fit their own life. To me this quote stood out because of how I interpreted it and what I thought it meant. I am impatient and want to make my life worthwhile now while I still can because it is not certain that I will have the opportunity to tomorrow. I believe that there are positive effects of being impatient when it comes to dealing with difficulties. Some hardships are weakening, and I feel impatient when it comes to creating my own happiness and strength. Because I will never find lost time, I believe it is under my own empowerment to improve the situation at hand or in the moment.
In conclusion, my impatience for fulfillment is based off of the idea of this aphorism. Benjamin Franklin phrases it creatively and evokes emotion from the reader through logos, pathos, and ethos. He proclaims, “Lost time is never found again”, and this is a thought that should be evoked in each individual to ensure a better lifestyle for all. As interpreted, one should not dwell in the past, for it is lost. The only time you have for certain is the time you have found now, and it should be embraced and enjoyed—not wasted and regretted.