I dug in the drawer beside my sink exploring with my fingers what my eyes couldn’t observe. Over four weeks ago I had dropped my watch in this draw – believing it would be there for a few days while Mary and I refreshed ourselves with four days in Washington. It had remained untouched and unused until yesterday when an important appointment dictated that I calibrate my life in minutes.
It’s not as though time hasn’t been important over the last four and a half weeks, it’s just that the means of measurement has changed – and changed radically. As Mary’s body, mind and spirit heal from her cycling accident, plans and priorities change. Minutes aren’t nearly as important as moments. Seconds disappear into seasons. Hours wash against the shoreline of reflection and perspective that never were evident or recognizable before.
Time becomes a companion to be treasured instead of an adversary to be conquered. My watch has not become worthless, just unnecessary.
In the Intensive Care Unit at Harborview Medical Center the skilled medical staff would enter Mary’s room every two hours to maneuver and manipulate her body into a fresh position in an effort to keep her from developing sores. Post surgery Mary’s room was rhythmically and consistently turned into a classroom as young medical students poured over her case and the road to recovery.
Back in Denver it has become a journey from the family room to the kitchen to the laundry room to the bathroom to the front door to greet friends and family, then back to the family room, then repeat… and again… repeat.
Before I can fully wash the morning mist out of my mind it’s sunset and a captivating walk down the sidewalks of our neighborhood – talking, remembering, dreaming, praying, loving… then repeating.
No watch necessary.
Time will never mean the same thing to me again. Sure, I’ll have precise moments in my life. Flights to catch, appointments to attend, deadlines to meet… but the context of time; the backdrop against which these minutes exist was changed forever on July 10.
Minutes constrain what time wishes to unleash.
Abundant living. Life to the full. Unfettered by a time piece. Measured most precisely by sunrise and sunset… and beautiful and glorious moments of worship, and tenderness, and passion, and sacrifice, and honor, and reflection, and study, and growth… and love. Ever deepening love. For Jesus. For Mary. For family. For friends. For the Church. For the Almighty.
Life – unconstrained – unleashed – watchless.
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Dan–I ‘found’ you via Marie at A Miniature Clay Pot……….we are fellow Christian bloggers.
I only have a minute and read your Friday the 10th post about being in Seattle at Harborview. We live in Renton, 25 minutes down the Freeway.
I hope she heals well and that God continues to use your broken lives in amazing ways.
Thank you for sharing your story.