Time has become something that is important to me and is a burden as well. How many times do we hear what time is it? Or do you have time? Or time flies! Or Time is precious. And finally, where did the time go? There are appointments, dates, show times, and such. Everything revolves around time!
So many people look at time differently. In my life there is "Gordon Time" and "Linda Time", which are not that different, actually. There is nap time, supper time, bedtime, etc., etc. I wish for quilting time, vacation time, but hate to think about losing time, or work time.
I also am feeling like time is running out on my summer with my children. I know, I should be thankful that I have a job that allows me this time with them, but somehow I want more.
It is funny how we are all either wishing for more time, or wishing time would move faster, but we never seem to be quite content with how time is moving.
Last week I had a meeting with our Director of Special Education about the amount of time the town has allotted me and my assistants to do our job and the amount of time that is needed to do the job. Never mind the time that is needed to do our job well. Since last week I have been back and forth with her about time. How our time is spent, etc.
Nowhere else in my life, except my professional life, do I have to account for every minute of the day. How it is spent, what I am doing, who I am talking to, where I am, etc., etc. It is nerve-wracking! Don't get me wrong. I do love my job. I had posted before that I love being an OT and working with children. It is just this part of my position in this particular school system that drives me mad. I am sure there are people in this same type of position that take advantage of the time, or the fact that we are travelers, but I do not. I think that's why I am so annoyed by having to justify any and all time that I am at work. Plus there are school-based OT's that do not have to justify time like this, it just so happens I am in a town that requires it.
Needless to say this meeting and now all this "time" conversation has me thinking. Why do we wish it away some days and wish it would stop on other days?
When I think about my kids growing up, I think I want time to slow down, but when I am sitting here waiting for them to wake up from their nap, there are days that I wish time would speed up. I want them to grow and change, but at the same time I want them to stay little forever. Does that make sense?
I find myself thinking about my Dad too. I have always felt that his time here ended way too early. Is that just my selfishness because I want him still here?
Friends and family that I don't see that often...I want the time that we are together again to come faster, but when we are finally together I don't want time to move.
I was recently with a group of friends where we lost track of time. Normally we are only together for a few hours, but before we knew it the night was gone and it was almost midnight when we said goodnight. Guess we were having fun... :)
Time is a funny thing. I guess it boils down to when we are happy and when we are not. When we are able to appreciate the time we are in at the moment is when we don't want time to move, but that's when time flies. But when we are wishing we are somewhere else, time stands still.
I guess the old saying is true..."Time flies when you're having fun". I guess the lesson here is to appreciate the time we have when we have it. Live in the moment. Those little moments can be so big!
6 comments:
Good thoughts. I have been struggling with my relationship with time lately. I'm trying to approach it with more grace and flexibility and trying to make more "space" in my life for whatever needs come up, whether my own or someone else's. The more I have thought about it lately, the more I think I'd like to avoid a highly scheduled life. Maybe this is impossible, but I think it's something I'd like to work toward.
I think in life there are always schedules, it is what you do and how you handle sudden changes in those schedules that matters. "Rolling with the punches" as they say.
When I was student teaching more than 40 years ago, my mentor taught me much about the mandatory lesson plans (a type of schedule) but always said the most important thing was "flexibility" within those lesson plans. I think that probably was the best advice I've ever received -- the ability to be flexible is soooo important in all of life because something always comes up to change one's plan or schedule.
You only spend two things, time and money. You can always make more money, you can not make more time. Spend wisely.
I think when it comes to losing people we love - you never think you spent enough time with them. Even if my mom had lived to be 99 years old, I would have wished for more years with her.
Amen !!! to Linda
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