Saving Daylight

We spend our days making time for things that rarely deserve it, while putting off the experiences, relationships, and aspirations that give life meaning. Eventually, we may discover that the time we thought we were saving was the very thing we were giving away.

.   .   .

We make time for all sorts of stupid things, often unconsciously. We give it to struggle, worry, anxiety, stress, and conflict; to jobs, deadlines, tasks, superficial or impulsive arguments, small-minded, soul-sucking obligations, and someone else’s dream or ridiculous routine. Over the years, this becomes a chronic condition, reinforced by the illusion that there’s never enough time.

Ultimately, we’ll rue much of this apparent “wasted” time, regretting chances not taken, risks not dared, kisses not stolen, and shaky, courageous words left unspoken. We often knew in the moment what the right thing was to do. We chose to suppress or ignore it, or talk and overthink ourselves out of it, as though our busy minds and cyclical rumination could ever account for the greater mystery at play.

We make such hard work of love, life, purpose, and fulfillment. We’d do well to listen more often to the wind, get soaked through by the rain, connect directly with the trees and share in their energy, and stare without preconceptions into the flame. Shut it down. Turn it off.

It may be an everyday thing, but look again. See beyond your reflexive, conditioned reactions and overused defenses. Consider why you give your time to empty pursuits, unworthy relationships, ideologies, fabricated chaos, and manufactured noise that only ever take from you.

Create your art. Build your home. Find your family. Be you, sooner rather than later.

Solvitur ambulando