The Inexorable Rush

time /tīm/ noun

the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole

Nearly twenty years ago I wrote a poem entitled ‘Future Scared, Future Doubt’. I won’t burden you with the details of it now, as it was neither jolly nor well written, but the main theme was of the inexorable rush of time. It drew the analogy of time being like the waters of a mighty river rushing to the sea, untameable and unstoppable, and on reading it left a rather bleak feeling of impotence and insignificance in the wake of time’s unrelenting onslaught. Thankfully times and understandings change (as, hopefully, does writing ability but that’s deviating from the subject somewhat). Even now though, as I look back on my life so far, time has had something of a hold on me.

I remember lying in bed as a young child, my head swimming as I wrestled with the concept of eternity. As a follower of Christ eternity should conjure up feelings of joy and hopeful elation but when you really take the time to stare it in the eye it can be a rather intimidating beast. I certainly remember being intimidated by it as a youngster, as my mind almost exploded trying to explore it’s chasm like depths*. Yes, time can be a tricky and imposing subject to get your head around. It’s certainly not untameable though: not when you have the master beast-wrangler in your camp at least. Apologies for simultaneously stretching a metaphor and crossing over into a world of theological cheese but I’ve suddenly been struck by the notion that coping with the ravages of time must depend entirely on listening intently to the master wrangler’s instructions and following them to the letter: something that I’m not always good at doing, mainly due to distraction and lack of concentration, but something that I am endeavouring to do all the same. If you don’t listen, chances are time’s going to overpower you and have you for its dinner, but if you listen...

One of my favourite inspirational movies of all time is ‘Dead Poets Society’. In one of the most iconic scenes, John Keating, an English teacher played by Robin Williams, meets his class of boys for the first time and takes them out into the school lobby to look at photos of old alumni in the display cases there. He gets the boys to look closely at the old pictures and as they lean in he whispers in a ghostly voice a message from those who have gone before, ‘Carpe diem,’ he whispers. ‘Seize the day boys. Make your lives extraordinary.’ The rest of the movie touches on themes of joy, camaraderie, identity and despair but one thing that stands out is that the boys who embrace the revolutionary teacher’s encouragements are irrevocably changed. Carpe diem. Seize the day. Don’t let time rule your life. Make the most of it, run with it and count each moment as the blessing that it is.

Our time on earth will bring joys and struggles, elation and heartache, moments of abundant richness and periods of despair. Then, as our bodies fade and fail, there will be an end... and, as the master wrangler promises, a new beginning. When you’re unsure of the future it can appear a fearsome and intimidating beast but when the future’s full of glorious certainty there’s no need to be afraid.

I’ll leave you with a poem that I wrote just ten years ago (where does the time go!). It’s understated but it’s certainly a more positive view of eternity than the one that kept me awake for so long as a child.

Have a great week.

Eternity

[Amsterdam, 25/03/07]

But there’s no completion to this story

No final songs of praise

No parting words of love

No, there’s no end to your outpouring

No death

No final breath

Eternity’s enough

*I tried to say ‘chasmous’ then but it looks a bit odd and I’m pretty sure it’s not a real word.