For some perspective on the evolutionary time scale, you absolutely must visit this website:
It has a very clear visual representation of the history of the evolution of life on earth. It also has a link to the visual representation of the Hominid Timeline, which is equally shocking in its own right – particularly when you realise that the enormous image which shows just how short human civilisation is, all exists in the small blip at the end of the evolutionary timeline.
Such a long period of time…How is that for some perspective?