“This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stone to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down.” (Gollum – The Hobbit)
Did you ever feel that you’re the only one who cares about time? Well I sure do. Many of you would have to say “No, I don’t really give it much thought”. That’s because it is people like you who make people like me feel this way. While you live your lives in a timeless void, somehow I’ve been wired to consider chronic lateness a significant character flaw. I’ll admit that this is almost totally a cultural thing. I’ve been to other countries where time truly is a fluid concept … but the thing is, it is that way for practically the entire culture… time just really isn’t all that important. However, this culture that we are living in is not that culture. Granted, we are becoming more diverse everyday … and because of that I could easily overlook an inattentiveness to punctuality… that is if were coming from my non-Anglo friends … but it’s not. Those who I consistently and overwhelmingly find myself waiting on are the ones who can’t point to an ethnic heritage where time is optional. Back in the 90’s someone influential (whose name escapes me now) said that within the upcoming decades, time would be the most valuable commodity. I’m pretty sure the prophecy came true and I’m also pretty sure that too many of us are literally stealing from people. I completely resonate with this comparison because every time it happens I feel victimized. I am lost in a culture of time stealers.
When I was leading a traditional church setting, Sunday mornings would drive me crazy. I finally resorted to sitting in the front row and not looking behind me until I stood up to preach … and even then, halfway through a service, a part of my “flock” would still be wandering in. I don’t have that same issue now. In my current faith community our group begins each gathering with dinner … so there’s a little more incentive to be on time. I’d rather not address how we were during our “Zoom” months though. In my Monday thru Friday role I have the blessing of working with contractors and architects who don’t have any problem stealing from me. It happens nearly every week. I have this practice that when we plan to meet at, let’s say 10am, I have already made sure my other issues are taken care of and I’ve cleared both my calendar and my mind to be able to focus on them. When they show up at 11, 11:30, or often later, I have literally sat waiting because I don’t want to take a deep dive into something else knowing that my appointment could and should be there at any minute.
Now I don’t know why I seem to have this overly anal attitude. After all, most of my friends seem so much less anxious about it. Obviously many would say that I need to just get over myself. I am working on it … not for the time stealers sake but for my own sanity. I will point out though while time is one of, if not, the most valuable commodity, it is also one that once it’s wasted, you can never get it back. Money? They make more everyday … I’ve seen it being printed so this I can attest to. Time? Once it’s gone, that’s it , you can’t even counterfeit it… and daylight savings doesn’t count. Getting back one hour a year wouldn’t even cover one of my contractors appointments.
I am learning to let go and see time as more fluid. You need to know though, I will be late for appointments and parties. I will feel more comfortable with having people wait on my arrival. I’m pretty sure I’ll learn over time that no one ever notices. I will take off my watch and ignore the time estimates on my GPS. I have to … it is so much easier to change myself than to change the rest of the world … who has time for that?