Time

Found this wonderful line :

« Every noon as the clock hands arrive at twelve, / I want to tie the two arms together, / And walk out of the bank carrying time in bags. -Robert Bly, poet (b. 1926)”.

However, it probably isn’t the time itself that is so important but what one can do with it that makes life interesting. We talk of “wasting” time when we telephone someone, visit them or in general spend a day catching up with family or friends: so why do we perceive getting the ironing, cleaning, vacuuming, book keeping, bill paying etc. as being more valid of our attention when in the final run it is the people in our lives that make them a valid life?

This was brought home to me big time yesterday from events both positive and negative.

First of course was my morning coffee up in the village where I have several acquaintances with whom to discuss this, that and the other ranging from how to plant flowers to world affairs in China, via the latest in cars or laws (we certainly never limit ourselves in the subject matter).

As it is the holiday season everyone is just that much more relaxed – we were even greeting those who normally restrict themselves to a simple hello so got a bit later than usual. Then once I had turned on the computer I saw a message from one of the USA nephews that led to the wonderful ringing of my “Skype” bell announcing the “call” of my nephew in California. If that wasn’t fabulous enough, his older brother was also there and we had a talk fest lasting over an hour – my younger son being in the house I even thought to have him come say hello. Modern technology can be useful.

At the tale end of that, another call came on the normal telephone this time with very upsetting news the details of which are way too long for this blog. Needless to say though I was up until around midnight fielding text messages and receiving and sending e-mails. Hopefully L is now on her way to friends and a halfway positive Christmas.

Finally lunchtime, a few errands, coffee with another friend, e-mails with yet others and the day was done. Did I get much crossed off my “to do” list? Nope – did I have enough time to interact with family and friends – Yep.

So I’ll take any time that I can get; time to connect with the other humans sojourning here on planet earth for whatever time we have.

Hamburg

Paris

Geneva