Thank you Greg. What a beautiful, hopeful column. Easter and Spring are my favorite times. Hopefully we can enjoy the beauty of nature that surrounds us. Happy Easter.
Time, the never-ending continuum, at least in the metaphysical sense. Ingrinder. year I escaped the clocks final unwinding thanks to capable medical practitioners, not once but twice. They managed to turn the key that winds the grandfather clock and adjust its weights.
Ironically this ushered me into a world of chaos, at times making me wish they were less skilled, allowing the final chime to toll. Such, however is my lot, to be tormented constantly by an orange face spewing such hatred, bigotry and yes lie after lie. Everywhere I turn is a reminder that this plague is omnipresent. Except on Sunday mornings when Greg allows my being a brief time of reflection, a precious few moments where a new reality occurs, one filled with thoughts of good memories, something new and pleasantly encountered.
Greg thanks for making a small amount of what is left of my 4,500 hours pleasant and a release from the omnipresent orange grifter.
We were, also, visiting colleges last week. It's a very surreal time. I'm excited for my last one to go off to college but also a little lost. What will life be when she's gone? How will I fill the hours of the day that, for the last 17 years, have been consumed with all of her activities? I still have another year but I can feel the change coming. Time doesn't wait for anyone. It just keeps rolling on (sigh!).
Now you're in my wheelhouse, Greg! I have had an almost unhealthy obsession with clocks, watches, calendars, and time keeping for most of my life. I even used to own a "Death Clock," which allegedly counts down the hours left of one's life, but ironically, it died. I am fascinated by time and timekeeping and ALWAYS know exactly what time it is, and when astronomical events are due to happen. Where I am, next Monday's eclipse is to be an almost 95% coverage of the sun and although I could travel somewhere east, like Indianapolis, pretty easily, I won't because clouds will follow me, and I don't want to ruin it for everyone else. HA! It was cloudy here in 2017, back when Trump looked directly at the eclipse, but DIDN'T go blind, and the only eclipse I can remember very well was sometime in the 1980s. I was walking to work under a partial eclipse and was astounded by the little crescent shapes on the leaves of trees.
Now, in this season of renewal when, for the moment, it actually IS a sunny day (that's supposed to change later), I welcome it this year as I haven't in previous years. I'm getting a new dog this week (https://www.petfinder.com/dog/rico-71171885/il/mokena/naws-humane-society-il391/), I have my health, and all is right with the world. Happy Springtide! Oh, wait, Easter? Is this another one of those pagan holidays we've usurped and turned it into some kind of liturgical theater? I suspect so.
Happy Easter, and may all your eggs be colorful. Or perhaps chocolate.
We are lucky that Easter has come early this year from the point of view of Houseman's poem, since in so many places now the cherry blossoms are already fading.
Perhaps the poem will soon have to be edited to make it work
My "time" story: I was with a friend atop a hill in the beautiful Rock Creek Park, surrounded by trees and the sounds of a creek below. A man came up behind us to ask if we knew what time it was. I replied, "I have no idea. Isn't that wonderful?"
Just beautiful. Thanks, and Happy Easter to your and your family!
Lovely column, Greg. Perfect for engendering thoughts and feelings that matter. And, perhaps for guidance.
Always A pleasure to read your work. 😄.
One of my favorite poems. I have his book, & can recite this one by heart.
SCOREKEEPER
Father time Friend of mine, Keeping score And much more.
The birthdays mount, Many to count–Too many now. So, holy cow!
When will it end? Never to send My simple Thoughts again.”
— Light Songs We Breathe by William Serle, william Serle
Billserle.com
Thank you Greg. What a beautiful, hopeful column. Easter and Spring are my favorite times. Hopefully we can enjoy the beauty of nature that surrounds us. Happy Easter.
Lovely poem, happy Easter. If you haven’t seen the great film Walkabout, at the end, the narrator quotes this great poem.
Here’s one of my poems from my substack chapbook. I took inspiration from “The Loveliest of Trees” but with a different subject matter:
https://open.substack.com/pub/dereks/p/the-mitten-tree?r=9qdtj&utm_medium=ios
Time, the never-ending continuum, at least in the metaphysical sense. Ingrinder. year I escaped the clocks final unwinding thanks to capable medical practitioners, not once but twice. They managed to turn the key that winds the grandfather clock and adjust its weights.
Ironically this ushered me into a world of chaos, at times making me wish they were less skilled, allowing the final chime to toll. Such, however is my lot, to be tormented constantly by an orange face spewing such hatred, bigotry and yes lie after lie. Everywhere I turn is a reminder that this plague is omnipresent. Except on Sunday mornings when Greg allows my being a brief time of reflection, a precious few moments where a new reality occurs, one filled with thoughts of good memories, something new and pleasantly encountered.
Greg thanks for making a small amount of what is left of my 4,500 hours pleasant and a release from the omnipresent orange grifter.
We were, also, visiting colleges last week. It's a very surreal time. I'm excited for my last one to go off to college but also a little lost. What will life be when she's gone? How will I fill the hours of the day that, for the last 17 years, have been consumed with all of her activities? I still have another year but I can feel the change coming. Time doesn't wait for anyone. It just keeps rolling on (sigh!).
Here I was thinking I didn't care one way or the other that it was Easter. This was lovely. Thank you!
Thank You for the reminder to simply appreciate! As for mosquitoes, I remind myself they are sustenance for the biirds and fish that delight me.
Now you're in my wheelhouse, Greg! I have had an almost unhealthy obsession with clocks, watches, calendars, and time keeping for most of my life. I even used to own a "Death Clock," which allegedly counts down the hours left of one's life, but ironically, it died. I am fascinated by time and timekeeping and ALWAYS know exactly what time it is, and when astronomical events are due to happen. Where I am, next Monday's eclipse is to be an almost 95% coverage of the sun and although I could travel somewhere east, like Indianapolis, pretty easily, I won't because clouds will follow me, and I don't want to ruin it for everyone else. HA! It was cloudy here in 2017, back when Trump looked directly at the eclipse, but DIDN'T go blind, and the only eclipse I can remember very well was sometime in the 1980s. I was walking to work under a partial eclipse and was astounded by the little crescent shapes on the leaves of trees.
Now, in this season of renewal when, for the moment, it actually IS a sunny day (that's supposed to change later), I welcome it this year as I haven't in previous years. I'm getting a new dog this week (https://www.petfinder.com/dog/rico-71171885/il/mokena/naws-humane-society-il391/), I have my health, and all is right with the world. Happy Springtide! Oh, wait, Easter? Is this another one of those pagan holidays we've usurped and turned it into some kind of liturgical theater? I suspect so.
Happy Easter, and may all your eggs be colorful. Or perhaps chocolate.
We are lucky that Easter has come early this year from the point of view of Houseman's poem, since in so many places now the cherry blossoms are already fading.
Perhaps the poem will soon have to be edited to make it work
And stands about the woodlands fine
Wearing white for Valentines.
Great Greg. I really liked it. Very realistic.
And i want to know Who Invented Time and Why.
When my dog and i were wandering the Serengity 15000 years ago i didnt have a Timex.
Happy Easter to Greg and all.
My "time" story: I was with a friend atop a hill in the beautiful Rock Creek Park, surrounded by trees and the sounds of a creek below. A man came up behind us to ask if we knew what time it was. I replied, "I have no idea. Isn't that wonderful?"