I have been cleaning closets, drawers and file cabinets, lately, in anticipation of my "retirement." In one file cabinet, I found a group of old papers that I wrote in college for various classes. These would have all been written between 1966 and 1969 and there was one titled, "Time." It was not graded or marked for any class or dated, so I am thinking that I wrote it for the "fun" of it, just as I am doing these blogs. So, I would like to quote an almost 55-year younger me:
"Time. Probably this is one of the most important things in our lives. It is also probably the most abused thing in our lives as well. Time IS 'here today and gone tomorrow' and when we waste it we have truly lost something of value.
Our lives are set to time, There is a time for everything and we struggle to adjust our lives to the requirements of time. I don't mind keeping appointments and meeting schedules; I just wish I had about five more hours a day so I could waste them,
I waste more time worrying about wasted time. I feel I would waste less time if I had more time to waste. There are many ways to waste time; sleeping, meditating, dreaming, partying, chatting....but is this time spent in these diversions wasted?
Where would we all be now if none of us slept? Or went to bed, for that matter? Where would we be without those who meditate and dream? How about partying and chatting? Aren't these avenues through which we can reach our fellow man and learn to understand him? (Note, when I went to college, we were taught to alway use the masculine gender when a specific gender was not apparent.)
How about it? Is all the time we waste wasted? Or is our time which we spend as we 'should' wasted? We spend hours studying - not for knowledge, but for grades. We hate the class - all we want to do is pass and get it over with When we hand in our exam paper, we have probably already started to forget what we worked so diligently to learn. (Kind of the same thing with 'adult' tasks, such as cleaning, cooking and other chores considered important to us at the time.)
Are we wasting time when we dream or when we indulge in merrymaking with our friends? Or are we wasting time when we cram for exams, not for the knowledge we'll gain, but for the almighty 'grade.' ( or when we rush to clean our houses, mow our lawns, go to events that are expected of us, not for our own benefit, but for how we appear to others?)
Is not self-sought knowledge more valuable than that which has been hammered into our brains by repetition and force? Are not experiences through which we gain insights into our fellow men more valuable than hours spent studying for study's sake only? (or cleaning, mowing, and going for appearances?)
Why then, is man so undisciplined so as to need time to guide and direct his life? Why can't we live life as it comes to us? As human beings, the rulers of earth, do we not have the power and intelligence to manage and direct our lives purposefully?
These are only questions I've asked myself many times. I have no answers. Do you?"
Hopefully, I haven't bored you, but as I am beginning my retirement years, I feel my 20 year-old self still talking to my 73 year-old self. I truly want my retirement years to be productive and FUN. I want to keep growing and learning and if I can help anyone else along the way with some of the lessons I have learned, I hope to do so. I learn constantly, from my three year old granddaughter to my 95-year old friends. Let's learn and enjoy and waste our time productively!
This was my attempt to learn some art skills this past week! My first week of retirement, I went to a college soccer game, visited with some family and friends, tried some new foods, shopped, learned some art, watched some grade school volley ball, picked some crocuses, photographed some turkeys, helped move machinery, got a haircut, had my car serviced, and had a couple of good cocktails.....off to a great start! TTFN