Have you ever watched a child stare wide-eyed at the packed bins in a bulk-candy store? A visual treat for anyone, but for a child given permission to select one scoopful of any flavor or color, the decision stretches into a careful consideration of every possible variation. The battle between Aqua-colored M&Ms vs. atomic sour balls can take precedence over even the most involuntary needs and last longer than the gestation period of the candy, from corn syrup to thighs, in the permission-granting adult.
What about a frazzled mother in her child-rearing years, who when asked to volunteer, weighs her decision against the amount of time it will steal from half a dozen other commitments she can't seem to meet? Cell phones, maid services, quick car washes all buy us more time in our race to meet our daily goals.
In the golden years, decisions center around the time we have left to accomplish those goals that have somehow eluded us. The days and weeks until we can again embrace our loved ones or say goodbye to those slipping away.
As we age, time becomes an increasingly important factor in our decision making. As a child, blissfully unaware of the concept of time, minutes have no emotional pull. But each year we grow older, time becomes more of a precious commodity, bargained and traded like the cash we so freely spend to hoard more of it. Seemingly in proximity to the final moment, when for each of us, time will stand still.
How did time impact your decisions today?
Movie :: Deja-Vu
3 comments:
Great blog.
My hubby and I were discussing this concept over lunch today. Ours was more centered around our oldest moving home from college next week. Where has the school year gone? It seems I was just dropping them into their school madness, then Christmas hit fast upon us, and now suddenly it's spring . . . summer almost and another school year has passed.
Was it faster this year because I accomplished more each day? Or that I simply packed more 'stuff' into every waking hour?
I like the thought of slowing down, of reflecting on the good, the bad, and the accomplished.
My only fear is that I'll be so busy getting through the days, that I'll miss the slow-down phase.
Oh well, I've always believed, the one who gets to the end of their 'TO-DO' list first . . . dies. At this rate, I'll be immortal!
Sandra, love that philosophy about the To Do list! Love it! My goal is to stop putting dreams/desire/wishes -- whatever --off. There's nothing stopping me anymore and the future, well, doesn't seem full of the endless opportunities it once did. (Ugh. I think I'm going through a mid-life crisis).
Great blog! I'm right there with you. Time is more fleet with each passing year. Occassionally, I feel like the metal-scarred speed bumps left behind.
At some point, it just doesn't matter anymore. At some point, we have to stop and gather the crumbs Time has cast aside. Find the worth in the moment, in the now. Instead of what should've been or what could've been.
My $.02 worth.
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