What does “With the perspective time gives” mean?

Question

Please help, I've tried everything but still can't make out what this clause means. The full sentence is:

With the perspective time gives, I now realize that the most fitting statement Don Juan made about dreaming was to call it the “gateway to infinity.”

The official explanation is something like “Looking back, I now realize...”, but I can't see why.

Community · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-15 07:40:02Z

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'With the perspective time gives [to me]...' means:

I have found this perspective in the time that has passed.

The time that has passed has allowed me to see this perspective.

CommunityBot

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answered Jul 3, 2014 at 16:36

Dom

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Thanx,I guess I got it,shouldve thought better. Its With the perspective THAT time gives.But was is perspective in this case?Is it "True understanding of the relative importance of things"?
– L3P
Jul 3, 2014 at 17:07
Roughly yes, @L3P. The temporal distance has provided or allowed for a better understanding of the relative importance of Don Juan's statements.
– wordsmythe
Jul 3, 2014 at 18:06

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Kevin Workman · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-03 16:37:07Z

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In other words: hindsight is 20/20.

It means that you're often much better at judging a situation after the fact rather than while you're experiencing it.

answered Jul 3, 2014 at 16:37

Kevin Workman

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