As the World Turns

by Kim

 

 



 

"Time is a sort of river of passing events,

 

and strong is its currents;

 

 

 

no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place,

 

 

and this too will be swept away."

 

- Marcus Aurelius

 



 

As you are reading this, my daughter and I are counting down the mere hours that we have left here in Chicago...we will be getting home late tonight after visiting family and friends for an entire week.

 

Strangely, one of the things I noticed right away when we arrived were all the dandelions in the yards, along the roads, in the fields. Literally just everywhere.

 

And I've been slightly mesmerized by them...

 

Mostly the fluffy white seeds.

 

And as I watched them in my moms yard, somehow they started to make me think about my time here. They started out in a beautiful globe shape (like a full week), and slowly the seeds blew away until there were only a few left (as in hours.)  

 

Living 1200 miles away from your family can give you a different perspective on time. There are no quick shopping trips just because or morning coffee. Or hey, how about lunch tomorrow.

 

Time is precious and just like the dandelion seeds, once it blows away, no matter how hard you try you can't get it back.

 

Several years ago I wrote some thoughts about time that I would like to share with you today:

 

We all start with the same amount,

each morning as the dawn breaks

and it can be a challenge to manage it well.

It is a gift, that some use wiser than others

because we simply take it for granted,

and are seldom thankful enough for it.

And although it unfolds right before our eyes,

it cannot be seen or touched.

But, even though we can't hold it in our hands,

the memories gathered from it can be held in our hearts.

Some always seem pressed for it,

but it requires some patience as it cannot be rushed.

We race against it, we run out of it,

and some try to buy, borrow and even kill it.

But it is a non-renewable resource

worth its weight in gold,

meant to be used in the present

and cannot be sold.

Its only requirement is that we be here now.

That we celebrate and not squander it

and that we not wish it away to spite today.

Because once we waste it,

it can't be turned around.

And make no mistake, it waits for no one.

It will go on without us, guaranteed, time after time.

 

Yes, time, it's that one thing that can't be saved, that must be used.

And as the world turns we get 1440 minutes a day, how are you going to use yours?

 

P.S - Deanna, thank you for sharing some of your time with me, I am grateful!!

 

*Disclaimer: I took these photos here and edited them on my moms computer which is probably not calibrated and have no idea what these really look like. :)