Don't just live the length of your life - live the width of it as well.
Diane AckermanRead
Though not a natural world by any means, more like a collection of living dioramas, a zoo exists in its own time zone, somewhere between the seasonal sense of animals and our madly ticking watch time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the unique experience of time within a zoo compared to the natural world.
Diane Ackerman's quote reflects the distinctive atmosphere of a zoo, where time feels different from the natural world's rhythms. In a zoo, animals are housed in artificial habitats, creating a surreal experience that contrasts with the natural cycles of life, leading to a sense of timelessness amid the chaos of human schedules.
Themes
ZooTimeNatureAnimalsDioramasExperience
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about conservation, I mentioned how zoos create their own unique environments.
More from Diane Ackerman
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We ogle plants and animals up close on television, the Internet and in the movies. We may not worship the animals we see, but we still regard them as necessary physical and spiritual companions. Technological nature can't completely satisfy that yearning.
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In rare moments of deep play, we can lay aside our sense of self, shed time's continuum, ignore pain, and sit quietly in the absolute present, watching the world's ordinary miracles. No mind or heart hobbles. No analyzing or explaining. No questing for logic. No promises. No goals. No relationships. No worry. One is completely open to whatever drama may unfold.
Diane AckermanRead
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