When I was a kid, I had a thirst to discover what our world is really made up of and how it manages to always roll along through space and time.
So, space, as I see it, is like a gigantic vessel in which our physical universe rests. And time would be the measurement of our continuing existence.
And when I pay attention to the tick tock of my wall clock, I realize that each tick is telling me Time is now - now - now. But what ever happened to all my past moments of time? Where are my last fifty, sixty and seventy years? Where have they gone? What became of my youth, good looks and future plans? I never ordered this grey hair and all these unsightly wrinkles!
I sure don’t want no rocking chair, rerun TV movies and bingo!
Still all my todays have slipped into yesterdays. Time has somehow caught up with and gotten ahead of me. This could be a huge speed bump blocking my road.
Then I think of all the cars and trucks I’ve owned, driven and gotten great use of through the years. But each one finally broke down, rusted and went off to the bone yard. And I realize that this flesh and blood vehicle I’ve been driving around all this time is still functioning. Sure, it’s old, worn down and has an awful lot of mileage chalked up. But it still runs without a great deal of maintenance. It does not need a new engine or transmission. It’s too early yet to send it off to the bone yard.
We measure the passing time by the day, cycle of the moon and season. It’s something like a wave we perch our surfboard on and ride. It’s also like the wind we catch in our sail and glide along with.
We use vessels, vehicles and structures for our journey through time until each one wears out and crumbles. Then we look for a new one.
Many years ago, you may have heard the song about the grandfather clock that; “Stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died.”
Well, I think that two time keeping devices giving out simultaneously in no way slows down or stops time.
Night and day, rain, sun, wind and weather combine to beat against and wear down the mountains and rocks of the desert.
They shape and erode them over eons of time.
In gazing up at the night sky, we are looking back through unfathomable amounts of light years. It’s so unimaginable we dare not ponder the immensity of space and time.
Time is. Time was, and time will continue.
Yet it always seems that the most important point in time is the one here right now and the next one just coming up.
So, the question may be: are we making time, keeping time or wasting time, or could it be a combination of all three?
Well grey hair, wrinkles, knowledge gained and happy days spent basking in the sun; these are some of my personal markers and memories of time gone by.
You may rent by the month, get paid by the hour and count your birthdays as milestones. There’s even a popular soap opera that terms these experiences as “Days of Our Lives”.
I think that if you are aware of your continued existence in this moment here and now, then you are making time. When you look at your memories and moments past, then you are keeping time. And when you plan and shape your tomorrows, then I think you are creating more time.
And at each closing of yet another year, we take down our old calendar as we pin up a new one. Goodbye to the old and hello to the new.
So, in conclusion, I think that the passage of time needs to be of no great concern for us. It appears to me that we have all the time in the world.
Thank you for your time dear reader. I hope your future holds many happy days.
Dan O’Connor can be reached at danhughoconnor@gmail.com