By all standards, every standard you could possibly imagine, I am not an important person, but if you were to look at my day timer, you'd think even the president would need to wait in line weeks to meet with me. (actually he'd wait forever--but that's another story--or maybe I'd meet with him right away to straighten him out--that's another story, too).
I bought my Franklin Covey planner six or seven years ago. It took me hours to decide on the color -- but when I spotted the apple red one, my heart stopped!
The first time it took it out on a date, I attended a coaching conference in Marin County and left it on the seat of my chair as the 'THIS SEAT IS TAKEN' unwritten note for five minutes, or 300 seconds, while I ran to the ladies room. In my absence someone spilled water on it. My beautiful red leather planner now a mushy soggy smelly mess. I knew it would leave a big old water mark, too, which over the years faded into a 'new/old' color, dingy red.
Near the end of conference the woman next to me whispered that the gal behind us had a little 'water accident', she said pointing her finger through her ribcage. Little? She went on to say she told me this because she didn't want me to think she did it. Another check mark for high standards!
Anyway, I started looking at my planner -- there is time for everything except nothing. Let me clarify, there is time to do everything no matter what, but no time to do nothing. I guess we'd call that 'unscheduled' time, but it feels like a foreign phrase, doesn't it? Unscheduled time, huh. (gives you insight as to how spontaneous I am doesn't it? And a peek at my memory retention abilities...)
Am I the only one who's time constipated? One minute it's noon and the next minute my husband's walking through the door and it's dark ... and he says, "Oh, are we going out to dinner tonight?" Bless him he never adds 'again'.
Anyway, this time thing got me thinking. How do women who work full time and have a brood of kids at home do it? Or people who use wheelchairs? And people who have to walk instead of drive? Or people who never seem to have enough time? Or aren't good time schedulers? Or people who get caught up in their dreams and whoops, they've missed an important meeting? Does God give them extra minutes because they need it?
No wonder life is a chaotic lunacy.
10 comments:
I can totally relate!
Listen... very important; if you get a good line on the God giving away extra minutes thing...please be sure to hook me up! I need all the extras I can get. H :)
Cindy—
The story of the drowning of your brand new, apple red day timer made me wince. I have an old brown one given to me as a gift almost twenty years ago and I still love it. It accompanies me throughout my day, keeps my schedule and my memory straight, and holds important phone numbers and addresses. One day, it slid under the car seat and I thought I’d lost it. I got so distraught that I almost required emergency resuscitation!
I’m sure many of us share your tale of time constipation. You, however, tell it with such humor and insight that a bit of constipation seems almost a delight. I only beg to differ with you on one point… You definitely are a very important person!
Thanks for your clever and unique perspectives on life. They are a joy to read.
I am also a spontaneous person, as long as I have a 6 to 8 month lead time to the spontaneity. I have to say though, that the ones I feel for are the children that never seem to have unplanned activities. When will they get to watch clouds go by and decide what they think they look like.Will they ever learn to amuse themselves without the help of electronics. We counted "red Chevies and blue Cadillacs" when we had long rides. They watch movies and don't even notice their surroundings. I would be surprised if they could find their way home using landmarks, as we did. They don't look up enough to see any. We "elders" learned alot from the things around us because we had the time to notice them. I feel for the next generation for what they will miss while they supposedly have "everything". I think we have given them too much.
mumforjustice, yes I'll keep you posted on this one. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just ask for more minutes -- or save the ones we wasted...
fun read..
i believe in unscheduled, do nothing time, and white lies
no matter how important down time really is to our souls and health
it still just never flies with most people
"hey, sandra,can you help me (fill in blank with variable)"
"oh. i'd love to, but can't. i'll be busy not doing anything."
this can cost you friends. -so, yes.. schedule in nothing time, but refer to it as your
"mandatory meeting."
and now that i've just given myself away, i'll have to call mine something else...
love, ~s.
she said...
I agree. I think I may have a mandatory meeting or two next week! :-0 Unplanned time is good for the soul and the body...and the mind...
~cindy
Carol...Oh I couldn't agree more. I, too, feel sorry for little kids whose lives are scheduled so tight there's not a minute to daydream and use their imagination or time for free-flow play. It's really sad that while parents intentions are good, I don't think it is a benefit to the kids--I remember laying on the ground looking up at the clouds and seeing elephants, angels, grandmother faces and so much more. Thanks for the reminder to all of us to look up and revel in the beauty of our own minds ... and to share it with a kid!
~cindy
I'd give you my tips for managing time, but I never have time to write them down. And I agree...I have no idea how working moms do it!
Great post, Cindy. Your musings triggered a lot of responses from overachievers, including me. BTW, wasn't it Jim Croce who wrote Time in a Bottle? Anyway, here's to doing more of nothing so we can accomplish the joy of living!
Jim, You are right I feel like, well, DUH! Of course it was Jim Croce. I was being a little too confident. Should have checked my facts...Hum...Jimmy Buffett he's the Margaritaville man! Thanks, Jim!
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