Saw a FB post about a new Phil Keaggy download. It includes a live version of Time. When I started isolation I took my watch off and have left it off. I know, I know, we are supposed to work to a routine. And I do have a routine, I have a food and activity plan for the next month. I just don’t operate to a watch at the moment.
How long have we let clocks tell us what we should be doing? Not really that long, probably the big introduction would be with the roll out of factory working. Because the world is not operating to a normal schedule at the moment it is easier to live life without the use of a watch.
I find it fairly relaxing, but I think that will be one thing I need to give up after this. I don’t know exactly why, and there are still things I do that has got to fit in with time. Looking at them they are about interfacing with other people (I have taken to setting alarms). I’m not sure my time was that controlled by the clock as a kid (I think my parents had to follow the clock – but nothing like I have had to in life).
I like to look at whether things control me or I control them. With my youth group I used a challenge. Hold a 10 euro between finger and thumb. Then let it go and ignore it – let it blow away, or sit of the ground where it falls. It can be surprisingly hard to do. The question is whether we are controlling the money or the money is controlling us. It would be impossible to live without money, but I don’t want it to control me.
I guess that is how I feel about time – it is an important tool in our lives, but it is easy to let it control us. I am willing to use time for good purposes, but maybe I have let it control me too much. These few weeks have been a good chance to experiment.
I spent today getting my garden ready to plant out, clearing weeds, digging soil, getting things well watered. Some of my onions have popped their heads through the surface of the soil, as have several of my peppers.
I had an interesting evening with an on-line four county get together. It is interesting hearing about differences. Comparing the DIY shop restrictions was one of our topics (Austria have just lifted restrictions on them and there are photos of close spaced crowds queuing around the stores). Although all countries are encouraging social distancing and staying at home it clearly means different things in different countries.
Forgot to ask about the toilet paper situation in the other countries.