You Can’t Keep Time

My watch broke a few days ago. The band snapped without me noticing, causing it to fall to the floor while I was doing the laundry. As I stepped back to grab another armful of clothes I heard a nasty crunch underfoot. I picked up the watch face and saw a spider web of cracks overtop the now frozen hands. I could see at once that it was beyond repair and sadly tossed it in the garbage.

Strangely, now that it is gone I find that I have no wish to buy a new one. Perhaps it is because in this digital age clocks are everywhere. They are on my wall, in my car, on my computer, and even on my phone. I can’t even turn my head without seeing what time it is.

I think that the real reason, however, is that as I have grown older my relationship with time itself has changed. While my soul feels as young and ageless as ever, time in this world has gone by much too fast. The little puppy I once held in the palm of my hand is now an elderly dog with arthritis. The little baby boy I once rocked to sleep on my chest is now a 23 year old man who is bigger than me. Young, vibrant, and energetic adults from my childhood have now grown old, sickened and even passed away. I can see now that, in truth, time can’t be kept. It flows on and on and carries us with it on a river of change. The days zoom by, our hair grays, our skin wrinkles, and our bodies wear out. No amount of looking at our watches can slow it down. All we can do is embrace it and enjoy each day we are given.

Earth isn’t meant for eternity only Heaven is. Do your best then to spend each precious moment here in joy. Do your best to spend your days living, laughing, hugging, helping, praying, and smiling. Do your best to spend your seconds here loving God, yourself, and others. Do your best to make the passage of time on Earth a passageway to Heaven.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

You can get Joseph Mazzella's book, "WALKING THE PATH OF LOVE," at www.amazon.com

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella Copyright © 2011 (joecool@wirefire.com) -- {used with permission} ]