It’s amazing how things change over time. One of the lessons we learn is that very few things stay the same, and all the pictures listed in this article are no exception.
One of the most noticeable ways to understand these changes is seeing how quickly different items get worn down. Whether it’s something as fragile as a teddy bear or as robust as marble stairs, nothing is immune from the obstacle of time. Let us know which of these was the most impressive!
1. Stairs Worn Down Over Time
Imagine how many people have walked on these steps over the past few decades – enough to warp their shape! These stairs lead to the top of a mountain and therefore are the only way up for most pedestrians.
Eventually, it will become necessary to fix these steps as the slope could become dangerous. Might as well start soon – clearly, it’s a very popular route!
2. Tetherball
Anyone familiar with tetherball knows how often the ball can swing around the poll. Multiply that use by decades and you are left with a seriously marked up pole!
All that spinning left some rusted marks that will be difficult to wear down. To keep playing tetherball here safely, they may want to replace the pole. Otherwise, it’s a great show of changing times!
3. Door Handle
Would you believe door handles have only been around since 1878? While they are now used all around the world, there is one basic flaw.
When we always turn the door handle one way, one side gets a lot more use then the other. The result is this color disfiguration that favors the left side. A new paint job is definitely in order!
4. Old Trenches
In WWI, trench warfare was unfortunately all too common. Soldiers dug trenches to protect themselves from artillery and enemy combatants. 100 years later, their remnants are still visible…barely.
In more peaceful times. the land has been able to come back to life. What once looked like a brown burnt out filed full of trenches is becoming green once again.
5. Shaving Brush 30 Years Later
Choosing the right shaving brush is part of a certain grooming ritual. What you see here is the typical badger hairbrush. The calling card of this brush is using actual hair from a badger, but this badger brush has seen better days!
This barbershop may want to invest in a new brush sooner rather than later. In fact, that’s exactly what they did and you can see the difference compared to the old brush. It almost looks like a different tool!
6. A Worn Down Chisel
Chisels are a great tool to keep around the house. Sometimes during big renovations they can get a lot of work, and that certainly appears to have happened here.
Despite being made of strong materials, even this chisel got worn down after years of use. Eventually they needed to replace it with a new one as the blade was almost completely worn down!
7. Cat Scratching
Every cat has their favorite scratching spot. In this case, 12 years of scratching left this table leg almost carved to the bone!
These homeowners must really love their animal….the table is almost ready to break! All worth it to keep our loving pets happy, I suppose.
8. Sandbags
40 years ago, sandbags were erected to protect this region from flash flooding. Today, we can see the changes they’ve gone through.
It may not seem perceptible to the naked eye, but these sandbags have turned to stone! It’s a great reminder to the wonders of nature.
9. Star Wars
Star Wars was one of the first movie to really capitalize on merchandising. To time their movies, they released dozens of accompanying collectibles. This original 40 year old pillowcase is a good example.
You can see the damage 40 years does to a pillow case. The new version is a beautiful masterpiece, the original is barely visible!
10. Ballerina
This is the famous statue of Margot Fonteyn in the Royal Ballet School in London. For good luck, studentd would rub the hand before a big performance. This constant touching changed the composition of the entire statue!
Not only is the color more defined, but the shape of the fingers are different as well. Superstitions really do ring true here!
11. Walk Around
A famous superstition is to not walk under ladders, and it looks like these people have taken that myth to the next level. Instead of just ladders, they’ve avoided walking under these beams as well!
As people avoided walking under the wood, it left a semi-permanent path just to the right. As more people took the new path, it grew even wider and thicker until it almost looks as if it is part of the path altogether!
12. Fence markings
We don’t typically think of trees as very fast moving, but that’s exactly what’s happening here. Ok, it’s not like the tree started walking, but over time as it grew it started pushing against and away from the fence, leaving this unnatural markings.
The truth is that these markings are so deep they will likely stay with the tree for it’s entire lifespan. It’s a good to properly plan where a fence will go in relation to the natural environment around it.
13. Old Vs New Money
No matter who you are, we all love the smell and look of fresh money. Usually it’s a sign of great things to come. Of course, new money works just as well as old money!
Over time, paper currency starts to wear down. Don’t fret though; just because it looks old doesn’t mean it’s not just as effective as the new bills! In fact, certain older bills in good condition can even be treated as collector items!
14. The Extra Table Piece
Buying a big table is great for family gatherings, but sometimes you don’t need that extra piece in the middle so we leave it on the wayside. When we leave it for too long though, it can start to look very different from the main pieces.
In this case, the main pieces got worn out and the unused middle piece looks almost brand new! Nothing a few more family visits shouldn’t be able to smooth out though.
15. Married For 55 Years With the Same Ring
Unfortunately, almost 55% of marriages end in divorce. In some cases though, true love really does come true! In this case, these two lovebirds were married for 55 years! Unfortunately…
…that left quite a mark on their ring finger! You can see that there is a visible imprint on the spot their ring rested for all those years. Rather then a blemish, this is more like a sign of pride!
16. One Paw Opening The Same Door
It’s amazing how smart our pets can be. Some of them are even capable of figuring out how to work doors! In this case, they might have figured it out a little too well…
Opening the same door with the same paw for years resulted in a very visible mark on the corner! I’m sure the owners don’t mind though: every time their pet opens the door is one less time they need to let them out!
17. Barbershop Floor Rings
barbershops have quite the history: They date back to early 296 B.C when Greek men would get together for some gossiping and grooming. While this chair isn’t quite that old, you can see it was in the same place for quite awhile!
Barbershops are a community institution. Many places prefer the antique style, but it’s recommended to move the chairs around every once and awhile to give the floor a proper cleaning!
18. Three Generations of Hats
Some people absolutely love their caps. In this case, the owner loved this style so much that he kept getting the same one.
Clearly, the man got his money’s worth before getting the next one! You can almost pinpoint his finger marks from where he would touch most frequently.
19. Steel Plate Getting Worn Out
Amusement parks are always packed with fun. They’re also always packaed with people! With everyone riding the some rides, that’s a lot of people walking in the same steps.
People can stay for hours in the same lines, and this is the result. The metal is almost completely worn down!
20. The Same Teddy Bear 30 Years Later
These teddy bears share a beautiful story. A mother purchased two of the same teddy Bears way back in 1985. She got one for her child and a second one so that he could give it to his child later on.
30 years later, the purchase came to fruition and her son had a child of his own. Side by side, we can clearly see what 30 years does to a Teddy Bear!
21. A Thousand Miles Later
Hiking is a great opportunity to get out in nature and enjoy the view. Some hikers prefer taking a walking stick with them to maintain stability. Unfortunately…
…if you keep using the same polls, they wear down! This particular pair shows what 1000 miles with the same hiking sticks will do.
22. Worn Out Button
One of the most popular buttons in the car is the radio dial. What’s the point of driving around without some tunes in the back? Unfortunately, all that usage takes a tool.
This button is so worn down it almost looks like it’s supposed to look like that! A couple more clicks and they’ll be grabbing the engine!
23. Paper Cuts
Millenials might not get this one, but the paper copier used to be the centerpiece of nearly every office. In some cases, paper needed to be cut up to fit a certain style. Years of cutting took its toll not just on the paper, but the copier itself!
All this marks you see on the side aren’t supposed to be there; it’s supposed to be flush plastic. Years of mistakes and over cutting resulted in this worn down copy machine!
24. 13 Years Drinking From the Bowl
Dogs absolutely make a house a real home. Most dogs also have a collar, and every time they bend down to take a drink it comes in contact with the water in the bowl. The result? A super worn down collar!
In this case, the family had the same dog for over 13 years! All this time in the water bowl resulted in the pendant getting almost worn down to the point of being unidentifiable.
25. Sharpening For 41 Years!
Keeping your knife sharp is an important part of any quality kitchen. Of course, years of sharpening can also take their toll on the blade, as you can see here.
41 years later, this knife is almost completely whittled away! At some point, it’s going to become necessary to et a new knife, but these people definitely got their use out of that one knife!
26. The Power Of The Sea
For many, the smooth sound and smells of the sea breeze take us away to a beautiful place. Inthe case of this doorknob though, the sea salt had a seriously adverse effect.
Corrosion from the water and salt has resulted in this doorknob almost completely withering away. Architects need to be careful when choosing materials to avoid this exact problem!
27. 60 Years In a Pocket
Finding money in our pocket is always a good find. Sometimes though, it comes with a surprise. In this case, what the user found was a coin that was so worn out it was almost indistinguishable!
This silver dollar was hidden away in a lost pocket for over 60 years! It would be fair to ask if it’s even useable, but no doubt it comes with an amazing story!
28. Layers After Layers of Paper
Before social media and even today, paper adverts around the city were one of the best ways to get your brand known. As a result, paper on top of paper can build up until…
Apparently this street corner was a very popular location! In a strange way, the colors make for a beautiful landscape, but one your advert gets covered by another it will likely never be seen again. The crater in this picture shows years of buildup!
29. Pressure Washing an Old Building
True New Yorkers know that some buildings appear dirtier than they need to. Some buildings, such as this one, remain uncleaned for years!
Once the cleaners get to work – wow! You can really see the difference immediately. Once neighbors finally agree on getting some work done, the results speak volumes!
30. Hands of Time
No matter who you are, we are all victims of the aging process. Instead of trying to hide form it, these picture takers have chosen to embrace it.
Here you see a woman in her 20’s taking a picture side-by-side with her grandmother. Some people may choose to see age, but we see a beautiful bond between generations. To each their own!
