Heart4kidsadvocacyforum's Blog

Henry Van Dyke wrote:
“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”

Okay, so this is what surfaced today! Time kept coming up till I gave in and got the message. Time is perhaps the most valuable gift we receive in the process of our birth. In our culture some of us have a relationship with time as something we are trying to control and manipulate our life around. We see it in terms of a constraint that holds all the things we have to do and accomplish with self-impose deadlines for the “when” these things must come to fruition. Others of us don’t really operate in the sort of “Linear perception of time”, so we just see it as a continuum where we take the ride to wherever it takes us. Some of us get anxious about what “time we have left” to stuff our bucket list in, so we don’t miss out on anything that our hearts desire. I would like to address each stanza of this quote.

“Time is too slow for those who wait,”– If we live in the world waiting for the tomorrows to come flooding in with the things and circumstances we want out of life- time will move slowly and so will the quality of our life. There is too much to do in living life to sit and wait for our desires and aspirations to come in the “Sometime”, or in the “Eventually”!! Waiting for our life to be in full expression and for us to have the feelings of exhilaration and accomplishment, is a waste of valuable time, energy, and purpose. Time waits for no one! We must be active participants in our life! We have to be busy living life and making life a worthwhile experience. It is time to be in the state of implementing the blueprint of our life’s story. We make the story! We manifest everything that our hearts desire. It is in the now, not in the tomorrow!

Time is-“Too swift for those who fear”- If we use fear as a way of avoiding what time has in store for us, again we will lose out on an opportunity to take advantage of the precious gift that “Time” provides for us! We lose out on practicing our “Faith” in “Great Spirit” and faith in ourselves. We have to leave fear in the dust and push ourselves forward into the space and place that calms our soul and slows things down to a pace that is in harmony with our spirit and the blueprint of our life. We don’t want to shortchange ourselves from missing something that we deserve or needed to take in order to take the next step on the road.

Time is- “Too long for those who grieve”. Grief in respect to time is so very personal. The pain, discomfort, disappointment, anger, loss, and void can be unbearable at times especially if we are grieving for someone we dearly loved. No one can punch a clock and tell you that the alarm has gone off and your grief time has expired. This is one time that you are completely in charge of “Time”. We all must go through the process of grieving that will impact every part of our being. The pain touches our mind, body and soul. Speaking from experience I can share with you that when I have lost a family member or a dear friend, it seemed like the pain lasted forever. There seems to always be moments when some of the feelings of loss and void space passes through my heart and I feel it in every cell of my body. The important thing is to remember that “this too must pass because we can’t live in a pain body”!

Time is – “Too short for those who rejoice”. Sometimes it seems when we are in the midst of feeling really good about the blessings that are overflowing in our life, it can feel like a fleeting moment in “Time”! Just when we are steeped into being our happiest, in rolls a boulder that tries to run over our joy. Well, we have to come to terms with the reality that yes this can happen, but we can face it through our joy and not succumb to the distraction or attempted destruction of our happiness and wellbeing. We can’t give anything or anyone the power to steal our joy. It is important therefore that when we carry that joy in our heart, that we cherish it and protect it. As the elders say, “There is always joy in the morning, and the morning rises everyday with new beginnings an opportunity for us to bask in the sunlight that radiates our time and space for joy.”

“Time can be (not but) for those who love, -time is eternity”- This is where time is of the utmost importance! This is where we wish we had forever to be in loving relationships with the person or people that touch our hearts and stir the emotions of loving and being loved. It is the most important experience that life has to offer. Whether it is our parents, children, sibling/ husband/ wife/ partner, or friend, the gift of love is priceless. It is the best investment in our life. It is timeless! It is a love that if nurtured, honored, respect, and cherished, will follow us throughout our lifetime and into eternity. That’s deep abiding love that can rock our world! It fills our cup, why not let it overflow with- “Love”!

My parting words- Cherish your time in all circumstance of your life. Hold your “Time” as a precious gift that needs your love and attention. Don’t let it slip away from you. You deserve “Time”!