The Value of A Moment in Time...

Time...the Collins dictionary defines time in 75 different ways...perhaps that is why we often refer to time as "immeasurable". Looking at the concrete definition we can understand that time is measured in many different ways ~ seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years and so on...but looking at the complexity of time we can understand that time is so vast and encompasses so many facets that it is... immeasurable.

This weekend the concept of time was a dominant theme for me. Through the movies I watched ~ "Click" and "The Lake House", to the sermon at the church I attended, to the songs playing on the radio and then of course my own personal connection to time. How could I not attempt to post my thoughts on the value of a moment in time...

Sunday morning sitting amongst a small congregation of diverse people who had chosen to spend some moments in time together just by their presence in the quaint building of worship, I heard once again those wise words that we often hear, but never fully realize the depth of their meaning with enough understanding that we would alter our lives as a result until we face losing those moments....

"We never realize the value of a moment in time while we are living in it, until we are faced with the possibility of not having those moments in time".

As I sat in that moment of time, I listened carefully, taking in each word and connecting with the depth of that statement. Thoughts on time flooded my mind and continued to do so for the rest of the day...even now as I sit here today I can't get the thought out of my mind...the value of a moment in time...

I watched two movies with very different themes on their demonstration of the value of time this weekend. In the movie "Click" the main character is given the opportunity to alter time...to fast forward, rewind, pause, change how the moments are viewed.... While watching it, I couldn't help but wonder how many people, if given the opportunity, would choose to take advantage of the ability to alter time. And by altering time would it not affect the value of those moments? In the movie "The Lake House" the two main characters are separated by time...although connected despite that separation in time. The story evolves through bridging that span of time and somehow bringing the two people together into the same moment in time. Of course in order for that to be a possibility, as demonstrated in the movie, a significant moment in time must be altered. And again, I ask the question, does that not affect the value of that moment?

While watching the movie and imagining yourself playing out the roles you begin to question...what choice would you make...would you choose to alter time and therefore possibly influence its value...or would the value of the moment not be changed by your choice to alter it.

Over the last several months I have felt a deep connection to the value of time. Several months ago I heard my optometrist speak the words that would forever affect my view on the value of my ability to see the world. That life altering moment has affected how I have seen the value in each and every moment I have experienced since...what if I am never given the opportunity to see that moment again...now, that moment carries so much more value ~ knowing I may never see it again.

I question why it takes a life altering or moment reducing experience to affect our ability to see the value of a moment in time... Why do we seem to hurry about our day going through our rote daily routine...not fully experiencing the moment, instead just trying to get through the moment so we can get another thing done. So often I will hear myself and others speak the words "there is never enough time in a day"... Reflecting on that statement my response is ~ if there is never enough time in our day, in our lifetime...then make sure the moments you are given really count! So my friends...as you dance through this journey of life...may each and every moment be a blessing filled with significant value because there is no greater gift than the gift of time! I treasure each and every moment with you all....love you lots!

Getting Mucky....

We arrived at the school...the children eagerly anticipating the day's activity. Parents waited outside while the children received last minute instructions from their teachers. Finally we were ready to depart. The children's faces clearly demonstrated the depth of excitement welling inside of each one of these wide eyed 4 year olds. We all piled into cars and headed off for our destination...."The Pumpkin Patch"!

The most fascinating part of the experience for me was observing the children as they related to each opportunity in amazingly diverse ways. From the children who eagerly ran up to the Pumpkin and Corn mascots...to the children who cowered behind their parents in absolute terror of these "foreign creatures". To the children who quickly grabbed their apple from the bin without a moment of thought...to those who carefully inspected several apples before settling on the "perfect apple". As we departed on our hayride to the pumpkin patch we listened to many classic favourite "hayride songs"...some of the children sang along...others just sat back and enjoyed listening to the sounds that others were making...of course the all time favourite for all the children appeared to be "Old MacDonald Had a Farm".

Tonight I sit here reflecting on the outing at the pumpkin patch and I am thinking about the experience of being in the patch itself...where each child was searching for their perfect pumpkin to take home...of course all the pumpkins were much too big for the children to carry on their own, so supportive adults and parents followed along ready to place that treasured pumpkin into the bright orange bag. The patch was very mucky and everyone had to tread carefully to avoid slipping. Some children embraced the muck and jumped up and down in it (in fact even tried to "skate" on it)...without any sense of fear that they could fall flat on their bottom into the muck. Others cautiously treaded, trying ever so carefully to avoid contact with the muck as much as possible...in fact so much so that they had supportive adults turn the pumpkins around as they carefully inspected them without touching their mucky sides...and at some points a few even had an adult carry them through the muck. Most of the children fell somewhere in the middle...willing to get a little mucky...but not willing to fully embrace it!

Thinking about this mucky pumpkin patch and each of the children's unique approach to it, brings about thoughts regarding the journey of life..."the dance of life"....Our journeys are often filled with challenges and facing those challenges can often be mucky and truly to get to the root of those challenges we often need to get VERY mucky. Some of us will fully embrace the muck with sheer determination to get through it without falling flat on our bottom...and should we fall flat on our bottom we will pick our mucky selves up and continue facing the challenges with the same vigor. Others of us will do everything possible to avoid the muck and will tailor our lives to suit this desire to not get mucky. And many of us will find a balance between the two...at times embracing the muck, while remaining slightly cautious (if not skeptical at times) and other times choosing to avoid the muck.

So my friends... however you choose to travel through your journey..."the dance of life"...may you have a good pair of rubber boots should you need to face the muck!!

"Dance" with Me...

What brought me here?...
My beautiful friend Katherine invited me to view her blog (Living the Life My Soul Intended) and in order to leave her a comment I had to develop my own user identity...so hence, this, my first post.
***********************************************************************************
I am fairly new to the realm of blogging, but as someone who thrives on communicating with others I have found it a fascinating way to "keep in touch". To me the quandary is what to write about... Do people want to read about my daily activities or do they want to read something that makes them think?

I imagine the answer is different for everyone. Upon reading other people's blogs there is a diverse selection of topics to read about...from people asking questions, sharing poems or quotes, sharing about their daily life, telling jokes, providing information or a service or writing something that makes people really think. Depending on my mood each one provides a different opportunity for enlightenment.

Although, I must admit that as a person who thrives on the depth of thought and the complexities of life and the people whom dance within it, I am most frequently drawn to the blogs that make me think. I truly enjoy reading the many thought provoking perspectives out there within the minds of the people who exist on this vast planet on which we live...a planet made so much smaller within cyberspace.

So to those of you who choose to "dance with me", if only for a brief moment, through reading my blog...I can assure you that there will be times when we'll "dance" and I'll make you laugh, other times I'll make you cry, hopefully many times I will make you think and feel and there will even likely be times when you are completely bored with this "dance".