Member-only story
Prague Taught Me How To Enjoy The Present Moment
A morning walk through the Czech capital transformed my relationship with time.
The first light of dawn slips through the curtains of our hotel room. I glance over at my girlfriend, already awake, her eyes tracing the soft glow filtering in. Neither of us know why we’re up so early. It’s not jet lag or the faint hum of the city outside. So maybe, it’s the anticipation of wanting to see a side of Prague that most visitors miss.
We step outside into the cool morning air. The cobblestones feel damp beneath our feet. Street lamps cast soft halos in the mist, and somewhere in the distance, a bird begins to sing. The city feels quiet, almost like it’s waiting for something to happen.
We turn the corner together and spot the Old Town Hall. Its underground played a pivotal role in the Prague Uprising against Nazism. Attached to it is the Astronomical Clock, a medieval wonder that shows the positions of the Sun, Moon, Earth, and Zodiac constellations.
Humanity has tried to measure time for millennia. From the Maya in Mesoamerica to Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in the UK…