Time Marches On
A few weeks ago in the midst of decluttering, I began thinking about time. I wondered how much of my life I have spent trying to getting rid of possessions I no longer need. One of the items I dithered about was a small crystal desk clock. It no longer fit with my decor, the face had rusted a bit, and the battery, one of those little flat ones that I never seem to have around, had long worn out.
But it had been a gift. Yep, on my fiftieth birthday, a dear friend gave me a clock.
For about half a second, I wondered it was a joke, some dark humor about being over the hill. Maybe she was rubbing in the fact that I’d turned 50 three whole months before her birthday. Fifty! It sounded so old, then.
But it’s not. One of my favorite musicians is Bob Dylan. He’ll be 83 in May and is still touring. In fact, he’s teaming up with Willie Nelson and some other folks this spring for some special shows. Willie’s ninety, if you’re wondering. But despite how time marches on, neither the advanced ages of musicians nor politicians is my point.
In addition to marching, Time flies. Time heals all wounds. Time and tide wait for no man. Time will tell. There are many sayings about time. Idioms and proverbs. Did you know there are 12,392 Goodreads quotes about time? Apparently I’m not the only one thinking about it.
Time passes, whether we’re doing anything or not. We talk about spending time and wasting time and using our time wisely.
We complain about things taking too much time and not having enough time. We worry, some of us, about investing time in another degree, a new hobby, a vacation. Will it pay off? Will it be worth it?
Many of us, perhaps especially women, often give our time to others, which is great, but in doing so, we rob ourselves of time. Life can be so hectic in rushing from one obligation to the next that we may not even know what to do with ourselves when summer arrives, the kids grow up, or our circumstances change. To paraphrase Mary Oliver, What was that thing we were going to do with our one wild and precious life?
For many years I did not have the emotional bandwidth to pursue or develop my creative talents. I’m a person who ruminates. I need time to think. I need peace, I need quiet. While I became quite skilled at reading and grading despite constant interruptions both at school and at home, painting and writing, for me at least, require a different environment.
My friend, with her gift of the clock, wasn’t reminding me of time running out, but rather that there was still time. And she was right.
Vera Wang designed her first dress and Toni Morrison published her first book at 40.
Sam Walton founded Walmart at 44 and Henry Ford created the Model T at 45.
Julia Childs wrote her first cookbook at 50.
Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book at 65.
Emma Gatewood became the first woman to hike the Appalachian Trail alone at 67.
Grandma Moses began painting at 78.
I sold my first painting at 63. I am pursuing publication of my first book at 65.
I’m not suggesting that we have to be older to find success or creativity. Plenty of young people do that. But, sometimes, often, perhaps, life gets in the way. We’re too busy earning a living, raising our families, fighting the demons that plague us, accumulating the junk we’ll later dispose of to make time to do the things we really want. I’d encourage you younger folks to act now. Carve out some space and time for yourself. Find your passion and live it.
For the rest of us? Take heart. There’s still time. Time to learn, to laugh, to love, and to grow. Time to discover what it is you want to do and do it. Fifty was not a stop sign. And my friends, let me tell you, sixty-five isn’t either. We don’t have to stop dreaming because we retire. We don’t have to stop growing and learning. Regardless of your age, there is still time to _____. How will you fill in that blank?
As for the clock? I donated it and kept the reminder of the precious gift of time.