There is a phrase … “the arrow of time only moves in one direction”.
It means that time only moves forwards – never back – and is issued as a warning to those who might tend to take their time for granted, not realising how rapidly it passes and how it can never be regained again.
Such a warning is usually reserved for the young – those heady, dizzy, immortal butterflies who believe that the eternal Summer is theirs and that their youth will never fade and pass. However sometimes the phrase can be applied to others too.
The situation in which many find themselves in now – the “lockdown” – as it is called has been for some a time of revelation! A time of wondrous self rediscovery, a time of meditation, contemplation, unification – with themselves and the Divine – a time of clarity, rededication and assertion of personal purpose, reason for being and power!
The slowing down of the world, self isolation and separation from community has caused many to look within. To pause and stop and “smell the roses” – to listen to the small still voice within the heart – the voice of the Soul – and reconnect with that which is important … destiny and soul purpose. Many have begun to meditate more, to return to their spiritual teachings, to re-examine their lives and re-evaluate their service and make plans for a new approach to the future BUT … the arrow of time only points in one direction and the path of silence, of stillness, of isolation is running out!
For some – those who have loathed this period, who have found the isolation and distance frightening and saddening and heart breaking such news is a joy! For those tottering on the edge of destitution, those ill and in need of care, those trapped and starved of assistance this can only be “good news” but for those others the thought of return is the horror, the thought of going back to what once was – the nightmare!
Of course – as is always the case – the truth lies somewhere in the middle. There is no normal to return to – only a new normal that will be created. Change effects everything and there is no going back BUT what has been our normal for some time will also fade … the peace and quiet of inaction will recede – albeit slowly – noise and pollution will return. The mental chatter accompanying the audible, the flutter of action through the ether disturbing the stillness found.
So … what am I trying to say? What is the moral of my story??
For what remains make the most of what you have been given – this space, this silence, this opportunity to go within. Make the most of what remains of your “lockdown” and make it count. Do those remaining things on your “list”. Create your regimes and your changes, put your plans in place, enjoy the stillness and the silence and cement it somehow, somewhere, someway. Your world is changing, your world has changed but so too is the abeyance that you have known – this grace period – this gift. The sands of this time have almost run out, the gift almost spent … make the most of it now before it is gone. Because although there may be other moments in the future – similar to this – there will never ever be something the same again.
And although for some this thought might be a blessing you too may find when this moment fades that there is some regret and grief in its passing.
Make the most of this moment then – remember it – anchor it and above all DO NOT WASTE IT. For it is precious and that precious time has almost gone!
The arrow of time only points in one direction and that direction is tomorrow and tomorrow is almost upon us all!
