Boy does time fly! And how! Sometimes you feel like you’re on a runaway train called Life that doesn’t quite know it’s destination. As each week rolls around, by the week-end we look back and realize that if we’re lucky, we got through about half of the things we wanted to accomplish. Month after month, year after year, suddenly you find yourself saying, “Enough already, I’ve got to do something about this.” I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine. We talked about the saying “Time flies when you’re having fun,”…..my friend also added “Isn’t it funny, as you get older time flies even when you’re NOT having fun! It just “flies!”

I carry around with me a pocket calendar that I keep in my purse. Each week I add to the days what it is I need to do for that week. Lo and behold, it starts to become very interesting when you look at your life on paper. All your comments, all your appointments, right there in front of you, in your own handwriting, wrapped up in time, dates, and places. This little calendar I have greatly helps me come to terms with the time that flows through my life. $19.95….is a small price these days to pay for help on any level, but my trusty little calendar is always there to support my memory of what I must do. Especially these days many of us need to squeeze as much time out of every moment as we can. Surely there must be a way to slow time down?

A couple of nights ago an electrical blackout engulfed the wintry village I live in. Everything, without a moments notice, went dark. As I searched around for my flashlights and candles I noticed something interesting started to happen. My house felt like it was regressing back in time. The candlelight projected shadows on the walls that made my home feel softer and warmer. Even my little dogs quietly sat back in their beds and enjoyed the display of light. For me, time slowed down, life became simpler and very focused. I started asking myself, do I have enough food, do I have enough water, can I stay warm? These are the things that mattered, not “Oh darn, I’m going to miss my favorite television show tonight,” or “The microwave is out of action tonight.” All I cared about was that we were safe. As we progress from the natural elements into man-made elements, does time speed up with the more we take on, and is simplicity left behind?

Cars, trains and airplanes are here to make our lives easier….there is nothing wrong with that. But could it be it is us who are losing sight of the “moment.” With our hustle and bustle, hurried-up lives we organize moments into groups where eventually one single moment can no longer be seen. The moment becomes truly taken for granted, until pain acts like smelling salts to wake us up.

Each night I think it’s important for every one of us, when possible, to look back on the day that has passed…take a few breaths and slow the body down. A wise man once said, “One of the hardest things to do in life is to become a better person.” Each morning I believe many of us set out on that path. We may fail sometimes, but some days we succeed. Yes, time flies, but how fast in the end is truly up to us.

Take the time,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon