Some theories say the fourth dimension is time and space in a linear continuum, and things get really interesting when we move to the 5th dimension.
Following the idea presented in Flatland, beings in lower dimensions cannot see or interact with higher dimensions, but those in higher dimensions can see the lower dimensions from “above” and interact with them in ways the lower dimensions can’t understand. So, if we follow this idea, in the fifth dimension, we could see time and space as an object. Something similar to the idea explored in Interstellar.
Imagine being able to see an object or person and view their past, present, and future all at once. What happens is that we stop seeing time. It’s like having a video file of someone’s life on your laptop. From your perspective, you just see the .mp4. You can see how big the file is, and if you open it, you can jump between the beginning, middle, and end at will.
I’ve been thinking about how to apply this approach to my own life. My past, present, and future are all the same. My future is now, just as my past is. The actions I take now are consequences of my past, which will shape my future. But I don’t want to subdivide my timeline into three phases. I want to see it as a whole, almost as if I’m seeing it from the 5th dimension. I’m not working on myself for my future; I’m working on myself for my entire existence. My past is not in the past; it is me now. I’m not going to become the person I want to be… I already am that person, and I am also still that little boy playing with ants in the backyard.