TIME marks every aspect of life: “Too much time”, “Not enough time”, “How much time will it take?”, “Who’s got the time?”, “I want to see how much time I can spend working this raspberry patch.”
The events of our lives give focus and shape to activities. They do not define them. As I grow older, time takes on a different perspective.
Eight hours doesn’t seem like eight hours anymore. It seems less.
When I was a child, the summer seemed sooo long; now the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day passes with the twinkle of an eye.
Time is no longer that rippling pond of youth, the pond in which we splashed and played; now it is an accelerating river, bound for a destination.
In our working lives, time was something to be managed; it was a commodity to be doled out. As we age, we see time as precious, there isn’t a lot left, now it is a gift to be cherished, not a resource to be managed. There is “no time” to put things off for another day. If it is important, now is the time.
Kierkegaard: “Life must be lived forward, but it can only be understood backwards.” The meaning of life only becomes clear with the passage of time. It takes years of experience before one can assess one’s life’s meaning.
Because there is not that much time left, we will “use” the time wisely. Time is the great equalizer – everyone has 24 hours in a day. As we age we realize that time is not without limits. Maybe on the last day, the most important question God will ask of us is “How did you use the time I gave you?”
St. Paul challenges us: “Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation.”
Fr. Steve Adrian
Leave a Comment