Time Out

"The only reason for time is so everything doesn't happen at once." - Albert Einstein

The sun rises and sets in different places as the earth moves. The moon and stars change position from month-to-month. These objects were the first keepers of time. Man, in his hubris, believed he could do better.

Shadow clocks, sundials, water clocks, then sand-filled hourglasses dictated early man's daily activities. Mechanical escapements, pendulums, electronics, quartz and atomics have permitted us to dissect the day into smaller, more accurate parts. Time became a device for the myriad of man-made bureaucracies to dominate our lives.

Paradoxically, the more we scrutinize time, the more befuddled we become. Is time the fourth dimension? Does time-slice ontology lead to unchanging reality, or to flux and decay? Maybe such cerebral exercises are just a waste time.

Engrossed in monitoring our movements through life, we forget to savor its beauty, sanctity and unpredictability. We should remember to occasionally take a time out. Deep-six our watches and give time a rest. As ever - BB

"Time is but a stream I go a-fishing in." - Henry David Thoreau