Time. It is a uniquely human creation. We’ve been raised by it, lived our lives by it, been told we can’t live without it. Yet, here we are, many of us thrust into a situation where suddenly time doesn’t exist in the way that we know or understand it.
If we were to go back to pre-history, to the beginning of man, we would have no concept of the idea of time. We didn’t have calendars, days of the week, months or years. We didn’t have numbers, much less a counting system. Our idea of “time” was based on seasons: the cold season or the hot season, wet season or dry season, planting season or harvest season. It was that simple.
Flash forward to last year. Humans evolved to the point where everything is now scheduled and we live by the clock and the calendar. We had to work by this time, and we have holidays on these days. We scheduled meetings and appointments, playdates for our kids and spa treatments for our relaxation. Almost everything we did was planned in advance. Even our vacations often had schedules!
Now, here we are, just a few months into the new year and our lives have been completely overturned. Many of us have lost our jobs and many more of us are staying home. We are in the middle of a disaster with no end in sight. Yes, we still have our calendars and clock time. Yes, we still have some semblance of schedules to follow, but it’s not like it was.
Following a schedule is like being on a constant adrenaline rush. It’s not a big rush, like riding a roller coaster, surfing a wave or riding a motorcycle. It’s a longer, slower rush that never ends. In the long run, it’s more stressful, aggravating and unhealthy than jumping off a cliff (in my opinion). Once we let go of the constant planning of our lives, it gave us a new opportunity, the opportunity to live our lives. Yes, we still have things that we need to do to maintain certain aspects of our lives. But in general, we have more freedom and time to do what we choose to do, not what we have to do.
More and more as time goes by, I find myself doing things as our earliest ancestors did. I work on things based on whether it’s morning and cooler, and how soon is the “hot season” going to start. I work based on how well my plants are growing, and how soon do I need to start my next grow cycle. I’m finding myself more relaxed, more at peace and much happier. I have found a new joy that I haven’t experienced since I was a very little girl. I’m learning to experience excitement again. And I’m feeling healthier than I ever have while working.
Some day, all of this will end. No matter how it does, all of us will have reshaped lives. I know for me, part of that new life will be lived without time. I hope the same for you.
Blessed Be.
The Warriors Den 