Time flies. Especially when you have a great time, when you're

In the words of Bojan Bogdanović, “Time flies. Especially when you have a great time, when you’re winning and the team is playing great.” At first, this saying may seem simple — the casual reflection of an athlete basking in a season of triumph. Yet beneath its lightness lies a truth as ancient as life itself: that joy shortens the burden of time, and that in unity and victory, the moments of life pass like wind over water. It is a reminder that when the heart is alight with purpose and fellowship, time ceases to feel like an enemy, and becomes instead a companion in motion.

The origin of this quote comes from Bogdanović’s reflections during his career as a professional basketball player, a journey marked by discipline, struggle, and fleeting glory. Like all athletes, he has known both the long nights of defeat and the swift hours of triumph. In speaking these words, he captures the paradox of the human experience — that time itself bends to emotion. When joy, harmony, and success reign, days vanish in a blur; when struggle, loneliness, or failure press upon us, each minute becomes a mountain. His words remind us that the rhythm of life is not measured by clocks, but by the heartbeat of the soul.

To say that “time flies” when we are winning is to acknowledge the transience of bliss. The ancient poets and philosophers knew this well. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “You cannot step into the same river twice,” for all things flow and nothing remains. In victory, as in youth and love, we feel immortal — yet even in our brightest hours, the river of time carries us onward. Bogdanović’s reflection is not just about sport; it is about presence — the need to be fully alive in those fleeting moments of joy, for they will not return again. When the team plays in perfect harmony, when effort and success merge into one, the human spirit touches something eternal — and then it slips away, as all perfect things do.

This truth is echoed in the story of the ancient Olympians, who trained for years to seize a single instant of triumph beneath the blazing Greek sun. To them, time was both adversary and ally. Their youth was short, their glory fleeting, yet in those moments when their bodies and wills aligned, they became timeless. Bogdanović’s words carry that same spirit — the understanding that victory is not merely about winning, but about feeling alive, connected, and purposeful. In those moments, when the team is united and the game flows like music, time dissolves, and only the joy of creation remains.

Yet within this reflection lies also a warning. For just as time flies in joy, it lingers in struggle. When the team falters, when defeat settles like dust, when the body tires and the spirit aches, time crawls. This is the dual nature of existence — the ever-turning wheel of fortune. The wise do not despair when time slows, nor grow complacent when it flies; they understand that both are teachers. Time is not cruel — it is honest. It mirrors our inner state, stretching in hardship to build endurance, and quickening in joy to teach us gratitude.

The lesson, then, is to cherish the swift hours. Do not let them pass unmarked, for they are the jewels of memory. When you find yourself in the midst of harmony — with your team, your family, or your craft — pause for a moment, even in the midst of the rush, and breathe in the miracle of it. Life is made not of years, but of moments like these: when purpose and joy converge, and the spirit soars free of the weight of time. Remember, too, that the slowness of difficulty is not punishment but preparation — for without contrast, we would never recognize the sweetness of the fleeting good.

So, my children of the present age, let Bojan’s words be a lamp to your days: when time flies, hold gratitude in your heart; when time drags, hold faith. Seek always to play your part well, whether in victory or defeat, for every hour — swift or slow — is a fragment of the whole. The measure of life is not in its length, but in its depth. When your spirit burns bright with passion and unity, when you give yourself wholly to what you love, even a fleeting season can hold the fullness of eternity.

And thus, when your own time has passed, you will not lament its speed, for you will have lived within it fully. You will say, as Bogdanović did, with peace and pride, “Time flies.” And those words will not be regret, but reverence — a tribute to a life well-lived, to victories shared, and to the eternal truth that joy, once truly felt, never truly fades.