My watch broke a week ago and yet I feel more constrained by time now than I did when I actually knew what time it was. I used to think that there was a certain freedom in not knowing (ignorance is supposed to be bliss), but instead I find myself thinking more about time and worrying that I will be late for something. I never want to be the person who spends all day looking at their watch. I remember one Sunday when I was in high school that the pastor pulled out his watch as he began the sermon and said, “if you are wearing one of these, take it off and put it in your pocket because this may take a while.” I actually don’t remember the sermon, what I remember was the point that if we are worried about time we may miss the most important messages and we can never really focus on anything.
Random thoughts on time
There never seems to be enough time, but sometimes it’s also all we have. Whether it’s time spent with someone you love, the time it takes to accomplish a goal, or simply a perception of what we are supposed to be doing, most people always seem to be in such a hurry that they miss the enjoyment of the journey and can only focus on wherever they think they need to be. The other day I walked thirty minutes each way to a meeting that lasted for only twenty minutes. It might seem like I wasted my time, but most days I feel like I can get more accomplished in a thirty minute walk than is usually accomplished in a three hour meeting. We plan our days giving just enough time to drive as fast as we can or to run as fast as we can from one thing to the next. We schedule one thing on top of another until there’s no time for ourselves. We plan even when we don’t think we are planning because we are always thinking of the next thing we are supposed to do (so much so that we fail to ever really be fully present in anything or with anyone). I understand that life can seem so short, but what’s the point of hurrying if we can’t enjoy the ride. I think our greatest obstacles to peace, love, joy and God exist in the hustle bustle, because we get so caught up in it that we miss what’s right in front of us.
I guess the irony for me is that in my everyday living I am rarely in a hurry and yet in my goals for life I always am and I lament that I have not done enough. I walk almost everywhere I can and I plan things way a head of time so that if there’s no time for my plan it doesn’t bother me because I was just getting things done early anyway. A great pastor once told me that she spends her day filling the time between interruptions and that ministry happens in the interruptions. For me it’s not just ministry that happens in the interruptions, it’s life, so I get things done early in order to be able to give my full attention to every interruption. I am very intentional about life so that i don’ t have to be in a hurry and so that I can get the most out of every moment. I preach and pray all that time that we are able to see God in every moment and that we will allow ourselves to be inspired. It’s okay to want to get somewhere, I just hope we don’t forget why we are going in the first place. You are only wasting time if you fail to use it.
Tripping the Light Fantastic 