As I age I find I have less energy for adventure. Although I exercise every day and stay in fairly good shape, I still am losing energy over the years. The things I did even five years ago, I don’t see me doing again in the future. At least not to the degree that I did back then.
Some of the mountain hikes I did over my travels and lengthy bike rides are mostly a thing of the past now. And that makes me sad to know that age has caught up to me to the point where I am actually slowing down. Although mentally I don’t feel that old, physically I can feel it. Unfortunately my mind cannot overcome my physicality.
I was thinking about that when I was reading about quantum tunneling one time.
Quantum tunneling is a very weird phenomenon that only occurs at the subatomic level. Subatomic particles are actually capable of penetrating a seemingly unpenetrable barrier. It would be the equivalent of a person walking through a wall.
Maybe that’s not the best analogy but better analogy might be having the ability to climb over a hill when you lack sufficient energy to do so. Imagine two hills side-by-side; the first hill, being of lower altitude than the second hill. You place the marble at the top of the first, lower hill and you let it roll down the hill and then up the second, higher hill. Every school child knows that that marble will not have enough energy going down the small hill to be able to climb and go over the top of the second hill. But somehow that’s possible in quantum physics at the subatomic level. Somehow that energy is available to overcome the second hill.
No need for details here, just know that it has to do with the dual nature of a subatomic particle to be both a particle and a wave. The wave amplitude diminishes to the point it can actually penetrate the barrier.
This is one of the weirdest things that I have read about in quantum physics. The seemingly impossible is made possible due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principal. Again, no need for details here. Just know that is possible.
Knowing that this phenomenon exists at the subatomic level makes me jealous. Makes me want to be able to control my body to penetrate obstacles I’m becoming less able to overcome.
I would enjoy being at the top of Tumbledown mountain again, but I don’t see having the energy to overcome the climb in the future. That might be a bit of an exaggeration. As I probably could do it, actually, I’m quite certain I could if I took enough time. But I lack the inclination. How much easier would it be if I could just magically appear at the top? To quantum tunnel through the mountain and appear at the top without expending the energy.
Oh well, facing limitations and mortality is just a sad part of life. It makes me jealous again to know that our carbon formed bodies deteriorate to the point of non-functionality. But subatomic particles go on with their inanimate lives, seemingly forever, doing these seemingly impossible tricks of theirs. Ah jealousy!
My mom's says all the time at 91 .Don't get old it stinks. I think you have limitations but accept that your fortunate to do the things that you can. Keep plugging along because when you stop that will be nit be good