I do not for a single minute think that I am alone in this phenomenon; I am relatively confident in declaring that many people have been in this exact position. What position, you ask? That one where I am so far behind, I actually look like I am ahead. Lately I am getting “lapped” in every race, even the ones I did not even know I was in. It’s not like I am at any kind of disadvantage or anything. Every single day has 1,440 minutes – that is true throughout the world. That equates to 1,440 opportunities every day to do something positive. Or in some cases for me, just to do anything, anything at all.
How does it happen that sometimes I can pass an entire day, that same 1,440 minutes, and when the sun goes down, I am in a quandary as to what exactly I have accomplished? I mean, the day is gone, never to be repeated or relived, and I have no clue or evidence of what I did. Geessshh, at almost 75 years of age, it is not like I have a bazillion days just to squander, right? Well, none of us knows exactly when we will check out, but I am pretty sure that I have had more days prior to this one than I will have following this one.
That thought does not cause me distress or anxiety or even sadness. But I really do find it rather pathetic that I can so successfully dawdle through a day without fully even realizing it. Now, I am not referring to the days when I spend 18 hours straight reading (bathroom and Pepsi breaks included). Never have I considered a full day immersed in a book or several books as a waste of my time or efforts. Likewise, when I am writing for several hours for whatever reason or maybe even for no reason, those days are not spent unwisely, in my humble opinion. Even during March Madness when I can watch eight games in one 24-hour stretch, I never count that as a waste either. I mean I do fix some food and occasionally fold some laundry during halftime.
Life on this planet is not infinite so we — I — should pay more attention to the fact that time is continuous and it is not interested in what I am or am not doing. Nope, not even in the slightest. In reality, I do not register on the time Richter scale. But I should make a more concerted effort to assure that I register on my own Richter scale. That does not mean I need to strain to hear every tick of the clock or even feel pressured by the passing of time. It happens without any input from me. How I spend my days is not dictated by circumstances as much as by my decisions. And it must be said, sometimes I may not exercise the best decision-making processes. I could give you a rather lengthy list of examples here, but what would that gain for either you or me? Nary a thing. So, let’s move on.
So, what to do? Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “All life is an experiment.” This is probably quite accurate because life surely does not come with an extensive chart of what is going to happen, how it is going to happen, or when. Much of what we do is an experiment; just like any experiment, sometimes the outcome can be deemed a success and sometimes not. I guess the trick here is to rejoice in the successes and learn from the failures. Maybe if we take something from the failure, it is no longer technically a failure. Maybe the only real failure is a “failure to launch.” I mean, maybe the real failure for us is if we never get involved in this wonderful experiment.
Life is not a spectator sport, and I fear that I sometimes do not pay as much attention to that as I should or could. What could I possibly be waiting for? Some kind of formal invitation? Perhaps I am given that invitation every day when the sun comes up and gives me another opportunity. One of the most successful basketball coaches ever, John Wooden said when asked why his practices were so strenuous, replied, “Because you play like you practice.” It should be noted that this inquiry was never made by his players, at least not in his presence, but by interested onlookers. I think I need to consider his response every day. This isn’t a practice for me; this is the only game I will ever “play.” That realization warrants some attention from me.
Here’s the thing: If you can relate to anything in this rambling stream of conscience self analysis, then let’s make a deal here and now with ourselves and with each other. Let’s agree to be more fully cognizant of each day we are fortunate enough to experience in our personal “experiments.” Goethe said, “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Wishing is not enough, we must do.” Pretty sound observations, I’d say.
When asked how he was, one of my grandpas would answer, “Well, I woke up on the right side of the dirt.” Also a pretty sound observation. If I wake up on the “right side of the dirt” tomorrow, I resolve to be more aware of my experiment. I will have a whole new 1,440 minutes to make a difference that matters, if only to me.
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Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of articles written by a group of retired and current teachers — LaNae Abnet, Ken Ballinger, Billy Kreigh, Kathy Schwartz, and Anna Spalding. Their intent is to spur discussions at the dinner table and elsewhere. You may also voice your thoughts and reactions via The News-Banner’s letters to editor.
