In Haruki Murakami's "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman," the passage reflects on the relentless nature of time and its effects on humanity. It suggests that time impacts everyone similarly, akin to a driver who relentlessly pushes his horse until it can no longer go on. This metaphor highlights the inevitability of aging and decay that comes for all individuals, regardless of their status or strength.

Furthermore, Murakami presents time's influence as oddly gentle, with many people unaware of the slow yet powerful force at work in their lives. The subtlety of this 'beating' implies that we often fail to recognize the gradual changes brought by time, making us vulnerable to its unyielding march. This idea encourages reflection on how we perceive and respond to the passage of time.