Timely reflections…

While speaking, about many random topics, in an airport coffee shop with someone whom I’d only recently met, we stumbled across the matter of time. As we only had a scant ½ hour before my flight left, we were noting, wistfully, how nice it would be to “buy more time”. But upon further reflection, it was mutually decided that, as nice as that sounded, it would be likely the most abused purchase known to man. What makes time such a sought after commodity is the fact that is it completely non-renewable. “Use it or lose it”. That familiar saying cannot be more aptly applied.

As we continued our conversation the seconds ticked on, and we became all too aware that our very own time together was now limited. Conversation flowed, coffee was consumed and my impending departure hung over us like a heavy anvil on a thin string. Ignoring the weight didn’t make it go away entirely but it became lighter in our minds as we focused on other things, and touched and laughed and planned. You really only appreciate it after the fact. I look back on those brief 48 hours and think with wonderment how much I was able to learn, share, and become with this person I’d just met. Time can do many things to us if we let it, but I choose not to let it erase what was so preciously gained.

Finally the hourglass had given up its final grains of sand. I sipped the remainder of my coffee, threw my bag over my shoulder and we began to walk toward the gate, maintaining our discourse, still not letting it get the better of us. He had lightly joked earlier about recycling time not used in a virtual blue box, having it re-emerge at a later point disguised as another moment to spend together. So mentally I placed what little we had not used into that receptacle and stepped up to say my goodbye. We would become geographically challenged from this point forward.

As I walked away, I could not make myself look back – physically or mentally. The line was crossed, and, as tough as it was to accept that this time had depleted itself, it was equally easy to realize that this was time ‘invested’. Choosing what to invest it in was entirely a personal decision.

I knew by the vague twisting inside that I had endowed wisely, that my time was well spent and I had no regrets to leave with. Not even regret that we live so far apart. All things happen for reasons often unknown or unseen by us. The few cleansing tears I shed later were purposeful, proving to me that there was something there – a fine elastic thread stretched between two souls – and I was not planning to let go of it just yet.