02 The strange flexibility of time

Do you remember, when you were a little kid, how the passage of time was so…flexible? A summer’s day could last an eternity and other days happened in such rapid succession that, by the time you noticed, weeks and months had drifted past?

A month has gone by. March 6th was the last day of in-person classes. Here we are, adapting to a new world (on our best days, muddling through it on those other days) and I wanted to take a moment to share a quick story.

Earlier today, I was digging up a spot in the yard for a garden. It’s been on my bucket list for a couple of years now and I suddenly have some time where a weekend isn’t invested in something else. My son darted in and around the proposed garden area, trying his best to help when he wasn’t chasing the chickens or climbing a tree. At one point, he plopped down in the freshly-turned dirt and started recounting an experience from a month ago, which he began by saying yesterday (nesterday, to quote verbatim).

For a 2 year old, time is the present and a vague set of past experiences that simply happened before this particular moment. He lives in the now.

There is a lesson here. Or at least a reminder. Try to enjoy this moment. Let the past be the past. And if all else fails, switch gears entirely and look for worms.

As we begin week 12, I hope you and your families are well and that you find some time to sever the digital connections we’ve been tasked to manage, step outside, and enjoy the sun on your face. Or look for worms. Your choice.

Until next week,