Norman
Vincent Peale remarked that when he was young the ticking of his grandfather’s
clock was ponderous. “It seemed to say, “There—is--plenty
– of –time. There—is--plenty – of
–time. There—is--plenty – of –time. There—is--plenty – of –time.” But modern clocks, having a shorter pendulum
with a swifter stroke, seem to say, “Time to get busy! Time to get busy! Time to get busy! Time to get busy! ”
We
have as much time as our ancestors had.
In fact, we have more because we live longer! Then why does it seem that we have less
time?
We
run from appointment to appointment. Our
calendars are so jam packed that we actually schedule “free time” (if we can squeeze it in between frenetically
sprinting from one meeting to the next).
All
of those gadgets that are supposed to make our lives more condensed, safer, and
swifter contribute to the problem. A
text “dings” in the middle of a meeting. The phone “jingles” in conversation
with a friend. We are on the phone wile
driving to work. Our kids play while we
receive yet another “tweet.” The car
sounds when we forget to put on our indicator when we notice the lady driving
towards us is “texting.”
Remember
when Moshe rabbenu was on the mountain as heard the Voice telling him to take
off his shoes while standing on holy ground?
Would Moshe even hear God speaking today with all the noise?
The
prophet Habakkuk seemed to anticipate this when he said, “Let the earth be
silent.” In order to hear the supernal
one speaking we need to quiet the noise in our head. That means slowing time.
In the
Talmud, a sage observed, “not all people, and not all places, and not all
moments are the same.” Every meeting,
each touch, and all moments are unique events.
They happen once and can never be relived or re-done. Once gone, it is
gone.
Rabbi
Al Lewis used to tell that story of a young man applying for a new job. “How long did you work for your last
employer?” he was asked.
“Thirty-five
years.”
Puzzled,
the interviewer asked, “How old are you?”
“I
am thirty,” he replied.
“Then
how can you say you put in thirty five years in your former position?”
“I
put in a lot of overtime.”
Is
this you?
Time
is relentless but it is not infinite.
King
Solomon gave the best advice for a healthy life many thousands of years ago. Enjoy life with your wife [read: family], whom you love, all the
days of this meaningless life [read: the efforts we expend for empty endeavors]
that God has given you under the sun--all your meaningless days. For this is
your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
Solomon was not
being negative: he was witnessing the human proclivity to place value of things
of little consequence.
We all know what is
right and good and lends meaning to life.
In fact our tradition demands it.
Here are five:
1.
Shabbat is meant to be spent with the
people you love. It is sacred, holy
time.
2.
Candles are beautiful.
3.
Food is to be
consumed but blessed.
4.
Holy days and
Shabbat, when spent with family and singing at shul, adds immeasurably to the
value of our meager time.
5.
We work to live
not vice versa.
