Taking Time . . .

There is time – and that is often the hardest thing for me to acknowledge.

There is time today.

When I think I just have to vacuum up those dust elephants under the bed – there is time today instead to call and listen to the old stories my father has to tell one more time. To hear him recite the details of the history and traditions of our family and to come to understand where I fit on the family tree.

There is time today.

When I rush home done in after a doctor’s appointment – there is time instead to swing by the florist’s and pick the freshest, brightest bouquet of flowers for the dinner table.

There is time today.

And when I am so exhausted at the end of the day I want to just let Chloe’ out the back door to romp on her own – there is time instead to walk the short distance from our home to Angel Field where she can run full tilt up and down the hills “herding” robins. There is time for me to cheer her on and to catch her enthusiasm. To saunter across the lacrosse field, to sit on the bleachers and read a good book while the sun sets and to watch while she sniffs out and marks every corner.

There is time today.

When I think it would be faster to just do it myself, there is still enough time in the day to let my grandchildren enjoy working with me on the task at hand so they can feel useful and so I can remember just how vital they are and how much I have to learn from them.

There is time today.

And there is time to get to know those whose lives have touched mine and left such a print of friendship that I will never be the same. Those who may not be aware that just meeting them shaped my life much more than they will ever know.

Glenn Lahti’s name is on that list of friends I am indebted to. One of those I prefer not to forget because in some way he had a part in shaping things I do. His comments on the ditties I wrote for the Drummond Island Digest not only forced me to re-think what I had written, but also caused me to reflect on my perspective concerning the issue at hand. He was a great one for asking “Why Candis?” Glenn loved stirring the pot! More importantly he knew about taking time.

Unfortunately, I am often too worried about returning on time, finishing on time, running out of time that I forget it is time to take time.

Time to walk slower – to match my gait to the leisurely pace of those whose path crosses mine. To enjoy the sunlight, the sound of the breeze rustling through the trees, the sight of my puppy running head long into the next new adventure and the laughter of my grandchildren as they discover something for the very first time.

When it appears there is no more time, that I have only a few days and then only a few hours, and finally only a few minutes – I need to remember there is still time.

There is always enough time if I remember that the time is now.

“Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.”  - Will Rogers