“Nope!”
“Time, Time, Time.”
“I need more of it.”**
Her messages came in with little pings in rapid succession. Ping, Ping... Ping.
Time is the great leveller. Princes and Paupers, to all, the same measure.
“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend,” said Theophrastus.
It all sounds so simple when you see it written down, but try juggling two small humans, a job, husband, small dog, the laundry and the finances. You soon realise just how difficult it is to grab time, hold it down and consume just half an hour for yourself. Half an hour of peace and tranquillity in a sea of raging hands and mouths, grabbing, grabbing for your time. Your precious time. Time needs to be defended, protected, fenced off, like a rare herd. Nurture and husband it so that it may grow ...then spend it wisely.
Thirty precious minutes on a park bench. Watching the leaves as they drift earthbound on this beautiful Autumnal morning. The kids dropped to the nursery, the conference call at Ten. An oasis of thirty minutes hidden within the day. Hot coffee to perfect the moment. To sip and savour as the world whizzes by. E-scooters, skateboarders, dog walkers, pram pushers, motion, motion, motion.
But here on the raft of a bench, she floats lazily. A deep breath, in ...and out, slowly, oh so slowly. In ...and out. In ...then out. What a beautiful moment of peace. A moment when the greatness of God is exposed in all its glory.
The world, a snow globe with all the flakes swirling around the central statue, still and replete.
One last deep breath ...and exhale as she rises.
‘Once more unto the breach, dear friend, once more…’ as Shakespeare would say.
**Quote from Nimo-ilhan Ali (hope she doesn't mind. I suggested there was a story in those first three lines. And then I started wondering what that story would look like. So I better dedicate this to Nimo.)
