Time — How best to Dwell in it?

Posted on March 31, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Heliconia seen while shopping at the Farmers' Market

Good Day, God!

I enjoyed strolling around at the Farmers’ Market this morning. I had time to do that because I wasn’t driving home before going to my Retreat Meeting at Central Union Church. Not having time constraints felt lovely, God. Hmm. It was only looser time constraints — but that still felt good!

I’m thinking more about Time for several reasons. The first, and I have too smile at it, was “seeing” my inner (imaginary!) service dog sitting next to me with my shiny silver Timer in her mouth. Talk about a message from my Inner Self!

That same Timer is sitting next to me now, God, ticking away. I need it. It is easy for me to get lost in what I am doing and loose track of Time.

The Time Paradox by Philip Zimbardo

The second reason was that after the meeting, when I stopped at Barnes & Noble, I discovered The Time Paradox by Philip Zimbardo. I came home and took the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI).

The results sure surprised me, God! I think of myself as a Present Person — but my score on that was lower than 50%! And my future orientation was the only thing higher than 50% — the average score. Could it be that I am still “working”– not yet living as if I am fully retired?

Hmm. Self awareness comes so slowly, God. Of course, I will have to read the book — not just skim it — to get a real understanding of how my Time Perspectives matter.

One story that caught my attention was about a psychologist working with Post-traumatic stress sufferers. Their focus on their painful past was eating up their Present and affecting their Future. It helped them to take a Time Overview of their lives.

I’m pretty sure it would help me too, God.