It seems like
we are always chasing time, sometimes quite literally.
In the lead-up
to the latest solar eclipse, stories abounded about “eclipse chasers.” These
are people who travel thousands of miles in quest of being on the path of
totality during solar eclipses. A common
refrain for many of these chasers is that there is nothing else in the world
like the descent of darkness. Some say it is “as though time stands still.”
Abdicating time
to external forces is a natural fallback for many of us. We talk about “not
having enough time in the day” as if others are in control of how we allocate
the use of the minutes, hours and years we are granted here on earth.
Time may be a
limited element of physics, but how we spend it isn’t. As noted physicist and
author, Stephen Hawking explains: “Time and space are finite in extent, but
they don’t have any boundary or edge.” Hawking suffers from a debilitating
condition, ALS, which struck him as a youth. Neither Hawking’s contributions to
comprehending the universe nor use of his time have been bound by his
circumstances.
Daily we hear
folks (and ourselves) complain about not having enough time, or that we are chasing
time. A widely shared plaint, but it is hard to be entirely sympathetic, since
we are equally charged with time management.
A Matter of Choice
An article in a
hometown newspaper caught my attention years ago. It was about the death of a
young woman who died in an auto wreck. The story carried some of the pastor’s
remarks made during the funeral. A straight “A” student, the woman earned a
full ride to college, and spent years of her young life volunteering for many
causes. She was a loving daughter, sister, musician and tutor—all acts that
demonstrated her generous spirit. She lived her life well.
None of us share
the same health, security, capacity or lifespan; but by midnight on any given
day we will have shared the same 24 hours. When we surrender to others the
power for managing this time, not only do we cede a measure of control, we also
place the assessment of our progress in the hands of those who call our tune.
All of us carry
personal limitations and new problems to field with plenty of reasons for
lacking enough time to meet expectations. Yet as conditions change, whether by
accident or by the decisions of others, we always retain responsibility for our
own choices. In the end, we are stewards of our own time.
Invest Wisely
As noted in the
pastor’s eulogy: “At the end of the day, it isn’t how long of a life we have,
but how well our life is lived.” Our challenge is to minimize occasions where
we want to throw up our hands in frustration, using these experiences to
reflect on with how we can invest wisely in the time we have been given. It is
helpful to call upon our elders’ counsel and remember that even when darkness
descends, it is not the end of the world.
“Time
is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed.” Peter Drucker
Phtoto Credit: NASA
