Timely and Timeless
“Fate carries its own clock,” Pearl Bailey, “The Raw Pearl” (1968)
The first few weeks of the New Year have most of us frantically picking up the pieces of the lives that we unceremoniously dropped in favor of the holiday frenzy. When the world revolved at a slower pace there was more grace and natural flow to the changing of the seasons and the coming and going of a year’s end.
A lasting tradition that most of us are familiar with is the making of New Year resolutions. Resolutions are helpful to serve as a focal point to move us towards what we want and away from repeating worn-out attitudes and behaviors that no longer serve us.
Writing a list of promises to ourselves, though commendable, probably won’t work for more than two weeks max. Our written New Year resolutions simply turn into a ‘to do’ list that is sucked dry of the passion that birthed it when we are confronted with the massive expectations that we already shoulder daily. Our list of good intentions gets pushed to dessert status as we watch our daily allotment of time used up on the main course of our already established duties and responsibilities.
The challenge we face as we attempt to incorporate new changes is in our understanding of time. When we are busy by clockwork, the day gallops on horseback and leaves us in the dust. We run an unswerving course moving from object to object directed by some inner task master that shouts out orders on what to do next.
This common misunderstanding and misuse of time keeps us disconnected from time at its source. When we foster a deeper knowledge of time, we connect to our own inner rhythms. We connect to the moon that pulls the tides around the world. We begin to carry our days, months, years and our spring and winter within ourselves.
Our actions become timely. Timely means seasonable, appropriate, apropos, well timed, opportune and in good season. Timely can be incorporated into our lives as a way to align with our unique tempo. Good timing helps us create our lives with grace and ease.
Time-honored means venerable and worthy of honor. Establishing a clear set of internal values to live by allows us to center ourselves in the bedrock of authenticity.
When we affirm and commit to intentional living founded on principles and ethics, we set guidelines that are wide based enough to give us a foundation that is timeless rather than fleeting and merely expedient.
When we respect and honor time’s multifaceted nature, we let go of taking time and using time aggressively and instead, we learn to create a sacred partnership with time.
Susan is a local author, content writer and personal growth facilitator. Reach her at:
