On Time
In a word that rushes forward, what is your relationship to time?
My dearest friend,
As April approached and landed, I have often thought of what to write to you. The changing of seasons bring with them a visible shifting of time—the flowers springing from the dirt, the buds that grace the branches of city trees, which grow stubbornly from concrete.
These shifts remind me of the Tolkien quote, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” I have been someone who carefully measures the big decisions. Yet, I have often forsaken the small ones—quiet choices that fill my days, moments that stretch between sunrise and sunset. This past month, focusing on morning and evening routines has led me into a relationship with time that is more spacious. These rhythms have allowed me to prioritize the quality of time that I spend with myself.
Each Sunday, at the end of my yoga practice, I draw a word card. This past week, my word was abundance. My first thought was of how the universe provides in abundance. Yet, as I opened my guidebook I discovered this: “Cultivate an attitude of generosity and act as though there is enough for you and everyone, everywhere.” This definition of abundance is based on a generosidade de espirito rather than a grasping to hold on to what you have. When it comes to time, is it possible to believe that there is enough for each of us?
A favorite yoga teacher once taught me a practice. I am passing it on as a challenge to you. Take a day and make no commitments. Turn off your phone. Cover your clocks. Allow it to be a timeless day. You can do anything you like—provided you don’t check the time. At the end of the day, journal about your experience. When you stopped measuring time, how did your relationship with it transform?
Sinceramente,
Silvana
