Time-a message from the edge of the world

As of late I have been learning a great deal about time.

What then is time? If no one asks me, I know: if I wish to explain it to one that asketh, I know not.
-St. Augustine

Consumed by the desire for time, I let it permeate my thoughts. I gave my mind over and let my stream of consciousness roll over the concept, the word, the peace until I caught a glimpse of understanding.
So many of us long for time: more time, time to rest, time to think, time to sleep, time to savour.

We cling to time, we grab it and try to squeeze out every second, every drip of a moment. We are driven by time, and time drives us. We let time lord over us as we hurry, hurry, hurry.

We do not like to wait…for anything. While we must “take our time” we fail to grant the time required for those around us to learn, enjoy, grieve or play.

Because Western society praises the man who needs less time. Efficiency. Productivity.

If When Ella is ridiculed it will be because of time. Because she takes her time. She takes more time to observe, to process, to respond. She does not subscribe to the timeline of milestones mapped out by “professionals.” She does not keep up and she does not succumb to busyness.

The chinese symbols which define busyness are translated “heart” “annihilation”.
John Ortberg says, “Busyness creates a diminishing capacity to love.” I feel it, I am there.

Timology– is not the study of time, but the theory or doctrine of values.

How appropriate. Is what we value reflected in how we allocate time? We can define it as a stage and claim its temporary state but as Annie Dillard says, How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

How am I spending my life?

How am I teaching my children to spend their life?

Take time and take care.

Take time to notice. Take time to enjoy. Take time to give thanks. We need to stop treating time as if we are on a shopping spree and we must accumulate as much as we can, as fast as we can for fear the clock will run out. But live with an eternal perspective. What is the hurry?

Letting go of our present concept of time will be no easy feat however. For often, letting go of our current belief of how life should play out, requires grieving. When a parent is faced with the reality that their child may never become a lawyer or a doctor, get married or have children or subscribe to “What to expect in the First Year,” mourning inevitably takes place. Releasing society’s standards is profound and relinquishing time’s hold on our lives would be counter cultural.

I spent last weekend with individuals and parents of children who understand, perhaps not in full, but in part what this means. ~~They,~~ We celebrate being. Not for what I have done or what I will become…

We have moved on and see beauty for what it is. The lives of our children may not turn out the way that we had pictured before they were born but they are beautiful nonetheless, and their lives are meaningful. You. Have. No. Idea. How seriously wonderful, how amazing, these individuals are.

God has made them in His time, for His purpose as He has each one of us.

Ella prefers to keep her own time. And if you pull her away from the sand and surf before she is ready, she’ll let you know. She will walk when she is ready. She will talk when she is ready. She lives in the moment, and the moment is now. At the edge of the world, where time stands still.