What Time Is It?

     Many times we find ourselves in situations when we constantly look at our “clocks.”  I use this expression in quotes because today I’m surprised at how many people no longer wear a wrist watch.  My son explained it to me this way: “Why should I wear a watch when I can get the time by looking at my phone?”  I guess he has a point about that, but I still feel my watch is part of my jewelry.  I would almost consider myself not completely dressed if I went out without my watch on my wrist.

     But, before I get too carried away on the timepiece topic I want to get back on the actual subject that I am intending to write on: “Knowing the time!”  Often we sit at a business meeting or in a classroom in school or college and before we realize it we find ourselves gazing at our watches.  Or maybe there is a wall clock that periodically demands our attention.  This happens to all of us even if we are trying our best to pay attention to the subject under discussion by our lecturer or teacher.

     Now here’s the honest fact that we usually don’t realize or we don’t know ourselves:  When we look at our watch (or phone) or even the clock on the wall, we don’t REALLY want to know what time it is!  We want to know HOW much time is left.  Or WHEN is this going to be over?

     We do this for almost all events in our lives.  Sometimes we even do it when someone is talking to us.  We try to “calculate”:  how much longer is this “wind bag” going to continue to talk about this subject that I basically don’t have any interest in WHATSOEVER!

     You know this is true!  When it is a topic that you enjoy, or an exciting movie you’ve been waiting to watch, or maybe (it it’s your taste) a night out at the performing arts center, the time seems to quickly pass you by and you are very surprised that it’s over.  We do this concerning many events in our lives and the results can usually depend upon our perception of time.  Listen to this brief review of events in a person’s life (mine) and see if you don’t agree with it.

     When I was a younger boy about the age of twelve I found out that at sixteen I could get my driver’s license.  That would open up to my life what I thought to be unbelievable possibilities!  During those four years I began to feel that I was NEVER going to be sixteen.  But, in spite of my beliefs I eventually turned sixteen and got my license.  Then I began to think when I turn eighteen I’ll be an “adult.”  So many more things would be opened to me once I reached that pivotal period in my life.  I actually felt that those two additional years took longer than the previous four!  I even remember looking at the calendar proposing that “additional” days had been added to the calendar just to hinder my advancement to that wonderful age.  But this period too finally passed by and I became eighteen.

     Of course, with all advancements in maturity I now decided that twenty-one was the “magic” age to be.  Additional legal opportunities would then be available to me and I would become a “real” man.  Those additional three years, like those of the past, seemed to go by so slowly.  I wondered if I should check with some scientific organization for verification that the twenty-four hour day had not been extended for some reason.  Now stay with me here because, in time, I did eventually turn twenty-one and NO major earth shattering events occurred in the scope of the cosmic time keeping system.

     But my life was getting more involved with family life, military service, and even secular employment afterwards.  The slowly passing of time somehow seemed to catch up to me (and in some respects passed me.)  Before I knew it I was twenty-five, then thirty, thirty-five, forty!  When was this going to slow back down?  Forty-five flew by, then fifty and so on!

     Now, looking back, all those years had 365 days (allowing for the leap years).  They all went by at the same speed.  It was my perception of that passing time that made it seem like it was creeping by or it was passing quickly.  Having reached my later sixties and swiftly approaching seventy, I still look at my watch or the clock on the wall.  I still ask myself: “What time is it?”  But I now understand a little better that what I really want to know is:  HOW much time is left?

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Be generous to others ---

one day YOU may be the one in need."