Land Where Time Stood Still

Glinda writes:

People in western Euro-centric culture ("modern society") seem to have a love-hate relationship with time. Watches and clocks are everywhere. Almost every room has multiple clocks, plus at least 1 timepiece on every person there. Computer screens have digital clocks ticking away where we can quickly look down to see "where we are".

As a society, we seem tied to them. Or, is it tethered? Their presence suggests: we are late, we have more work to do and less time to do it, we never have enough time, hurry, hurry, hurry. With the current emphasis on multi-tasking, things have speeded up to a frenzy in many cases. The mere presence of a clock seems to produce an adrenaline rush for us to get the energy to complete the next task. If adrenaline won't kick in due to tired, overworked, or ageing adrenals, then coffee or cola will provide the bandaid needed.

Watches and clocks used to have a dominant presence in the lives of the 3 Crawfords. This was particularly true when we were in that outside "world of work", which of course was spinning its own reality. You know the game. I remember a former department chair who bought his lucky charges stately professional pens with clocks on them. (What was he saying?)

In fact, we 3 Crawfords now have a delightful amusement for such things. I haven't worn a watch for 8 years. When I was teaching, I discovered everywhere I went, I could always find a clock. In a pinch, I could find a person with a watch.

Something peculiar happened since we moved to Butterfly Hill Farm. Such a shift seems to be symbolized in what happened with Richard. When his old watch broke as he was nearing the end of his last year's contract, he bought a pretty pocket watch with ducks on it. The new watch promptly quit after he arrived on the farm. He bought another and the same fate met this new watch. Perhaps he is not supposed to wear a watch.

When I look around our house, clocks have a less prominent face, for which I am grateful. We have 2 clocks in the family room and both are unobtrusive. One is on the computer and the other sits high on a bookshelf, where only Richard can see it. He was the one who wanted it. We have no clocks in the kitchen. The one on the stove is broken and we are resisting using a microwave. We have a Grandfather Clock in the dining room with its responsible and comforting tick-tock-tick-tock. We have clocks in 2 bedrooms. We also have 2 lovely family heirloom clocks which do not work. Of course, the vehicles have clocks raising their little innocent faces up to us.

So what happened on our journey which shifted our tie to time? We did some studying and thoughtful reflection on the society we come from and the kind of life we want to lead. Folks in Western "modern" culture have a "linear" orientation to time. That means each minute only comes once. So if you don't stuff it full, you have lost it forever. Talk about escalating tension.

We did some research on other traditions that are much more to our liking and seem a better fit with the natural cycles of life. Many traditional cultures believe time is "circular". Things happen when and if they are supposed; when we miss something, it will come around again if it is important. While we were in North Dakota, we were introduced to "Indian Time". We get there when we get there. Instead of being out of breath and feeling behind, we are much more relaxed. I also have noted a more relaxed feeling in me when others arrive as well. I am grateful when they arrive and I am not judgmental about the time they do.

Our study of Buddhism gave us another message to savor. We try to live in the present moment, which is all we have. The next moment does not matter because this moment, this breath, is all there is. That orientation also brought more peace and relaxation about such things. We breathed sighs of relief.

Under the cover of all of these musings, we still have some sense of time. But it is different. We generally know the time, in fact, relatively close. If we have a meeting in town in some office which is decidedly linear, we respect their need and we are "on time".

But overall, we are much more oriented toward natural cycles. The giant riestat in the sky is turned up in the early morning. Light increases heralding the sun; the sun comes up; day begins. Depending on conditions outside, it's time to let out the chickens. Later, the sun goes down and the day begins to quiet; after some quiet evening time, we soon will head to bed. You may wonder how I know if things are done when I cook. I can see the Grandfather Clock in the dining room. But I more often let my senses guide me. I know when the bread is done by smell, sight, and touch. Yummy. That knowing took a few years and a lot of cooking.

We have choices about the meaning we make of time and the meaning we make of life. Now that we are at the farm and seeking a simpler life, time has a different meaning. We are richly blessed and we smile.

Above photo: Richard's 2 broken time pieces are above. I laugh because one is upside down, which I overlooked when I took the picture. And really, what difference does it make, after all?