How to find elapsed time between now() and event?

Hello. I am trying to find the amount time that has passed from the time and event occurred to the present (now()). I tried subtracting the time of the event from the current time, but I got an Epoch time value that gives me times in the 1970s. What conversions do I have to make to have Splunk tell me something happened 30 hours ago and not 30 years? Thanks for your help