I have always danced; since the age of two, in fact. I have acquired a ton of knowledge about the musicality of dance. Yet in the two seasons that I have been instructing and choreographing, my realization of time's place within dance has become more vivid. Eight counts. Tempos. Duration. More importantly how there aren't enough minutes in an hour, just like there aren't enough hours in the day. When teaching, there is a time slot designated for each class and you do what you can with the time you're given, which is usually about 45 minutes to an hour. You'd be surprised at how quickly 45 minutes passes when tending to fifteen children who are full of life and liberty; especially when you're teaching ballet which usually comes off very boring to these little jumping beans. Within that time span, you have two options. You can create something elegant and beautiful or you can waste time. (If you're in a teaching position you probably won't let yourself get away with too much wasted time because those mommas staring in the window want to get their money's worth). Nevertheless, I realized that life is similar. I thought back to a verse that is reiterated time and again. According to James 4:14, life is "even a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away". The Word gives us this analogy to help us understand that we 1) are blessed with one life, 2) only have a short amount of time compared to eternity, and 3) it vanishes away as quick as we realize we're alive. What we do with that vapor in the little time we're given is what will count on the day of judgement, not the petty details. And some of us have a shorter life than others, sadly.
We hear a lot about how quickly time passes whether we're discussing age, years, or milestones. The Word of God assures us that there is a time for everything. In Ecclesiastes chapter 3, the Bible reads a lovely passage about time. It begins in verse 1 with, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." Then in the following seven verses, it lists examples.
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
- Ecclesiastes 3:2-8
A time for everything. Birth and death, planting and harvesting, weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing, gain and loss, love and hate, war and peace. There's a time to pursue a dream, and there's a time to take route B. There's a time to grieve over the boy that broke your heart and there's a time to put your big girl panties on and realize you deserve better. There's a time that you'll handle yourself with grace and integrity, and there's a time that you'll accidentally show your tail. There's a time to worry about what you can alter, and there's a time to forget about what you cannot. "He hath made everything beautiful in its time," Ecclesiastes 3:11 reads.
As humans though, we do not possess the power to control time. We must use our time wisely, and the Bible has a good bit to say about time management. We are commanded to enjoy our lives and live fully, but we have to be cautious as to not fall away from doing God's will. It's all about balance. God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7), and whatever we do, we must do it heartily for the Lord (Colassians 3:23). A chunk of Matthew chapter 6 (verses 25-35) even tells us not to be anxious about anything because our lives are of much more value than sparrows (the trivial things).
My grandfather, has recently fallen ill after a 15 year battle with an aggressive case of dementia and Alzheimer's, and we are not sure how long he will still be with us. This is the first family member dear to my heart that has ever been in this condition and so I've been trying to summarize how to feel. If you have never watched someone you love suffer from this incurable brain disease, you need to understand that time is many things when associated with it. Alzheimer's patients' brains are like those little sand timers that are being flipped continuously and each time it flips, it turns back time. 5 minutes, 5 hours, 50 years. I am deeply saddened over the fact that someone who contributes so much joy to the family is nearing the end of his time here on earth but I take peace in knowing he'll have rest when the time comes. I am also taken back at the love that not only my family has shown, but the people who have known him have shown as well. I've learned to cherish every time he turns to me and says, "My goodness I believe you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen, you're so sweet, I love you, it's good to see you.".... even if he says it thirty times in 10 minutes. It's about the content, not the quantity. From marrying my grandmother Mary Ellen, to serving the community as Sheriff. I can't help but think.. what a full, vivid life in its time.
If you're asking me, time is about the quality not the numbers. You can crunch numbers, but you can't undo what has been done. Had my grandfather not spent his time wisely by treating people well and doing the right thing, he wouldn't be adored by so many. If he had not of built such a devoted family, he would be suffering alone. It is so easy to become consumed in life and its worries, but I think its downright nutty to be anything but happy with life if you're blessed with a decent one. We all have something going on in life that we wish could be different. Adversity creates vulnerability, and vulnerability allows folly. If you're going through something troubling, I think we all know how quickly we begin to regress and dislike ourselves. The thing is, we should not spend more time dwelling on the negative than we do the positive. When we are faced with tribulation, we always have a decision to make: to move forward or to stay stuck. To create something or to waste life. To count our blessings or to be ungrateful. Choose your battles wisely, and choose in time.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17
With love,
ML
