TIME - FRIEND OR ENEMY?
By OLIVENE GODFREY
(While cleaning out a filing cabinet drawer recently, I found this essay which was originally published in Dalton's The Daily Citizen in the 1970s. As I read the essay I thought of how bad I have felt lately but I felt a spark of hope within me.
The words took on new meaning for me. I hope you will find the essay to be meaningful, too.)
Time.... friend or enemy? For the child anticipating a special event time seems to be dragging its feet. And the adolescent eager to become an adult may feel that time is his enemy. He dreams of the day when he will be "grown up". But, the older person often feels that time's tempo is much too fast. The years seem to fly by and there is so much yet to be done.
Then, the wise ones tell us that time is the greatest healer.
When we are experiencing despair and heartache such words of wisdom may fall on deaf ears. "NO!" our heart cries, " All hope is gone. This ache inside will never go away." No hope?" the wise one asked,"How foolish, for as long as there is a breath of life there is hope. Think of all of the people who have sprung to their spiritual feet at the challenge of no hope and proved there is always hope."
To lie down and be discouraged is our temptation. But to hope and have faith is our wisdom. You say, life's cruel blows have left you black and blue, that no one knows how deeply you hurt.
The wise one answers, "You are not alone. There is no despair, heartache, that has not been experienced by many human beings even before you were born. Still, I know your agony is unique because you are experiencing it. And no one can promise you an instant cure for your pain or problems." But if you muster up courage, and if you remember there is a season for all things, time can be the best friend you will ever have.
Most of us have no trouble accepting the fact that it takes time for our bodies to heal following serious illness. Yet, we can't seem to accept that time is also needed to recover from traumatic emotional experiences. We don't forget such experiences but time does soften the pain. And the time will come when the memory will not evoke intense pain within us. But, we cannot, no matter how efficient we may be, set a time limit for the different seasons that come to us in life. It is folly to presume that we can allot a certain period of our lives to be happy, to laugh, to weep, to recover from life's blows.
The day when life is again beautiful and worth living comes at different times for different people after a period of darkness. Theodore Tilton wrote in The King's Ring, "Once
in Persia reigned a king..Who upon is signet ring..Graved a maxim true and wise--Which if held before the eyes..Gave him counsel at a glance...Fit for every change and chance. Solenm words, and these are they, 'Even this shall pass away.'"
See you next time
By OLIVENE GODFREY
(While cleaning out a filing cabinet drawer recently, I found this essay which was originally published in Dalton's The Daily Citizen in the 1970s. As I read the essay I thought of how bad I have felt lately but I felt a spark of hope within me.
The words took on new meaning for me. I hope you will find the essay to be meaningful, too.)
Time.... friend or enemy? For the child anticipating a special event time seems to be dragging its feet. And the adolescent eager to become an adult may feel that time is his enemy. He dreams of the day when he will be "grown up". But, the older person often feels that time's tempo is much too fast. The years seem to fly by and there is so much yet to be done.
Then, the wise ones tell us that time is the greatest healer.
When we are experiencing despair and heartache such words of wisdom may fall on deaf ears. "NO!" our heart cries, " All hope is gone. This ache inside will never go away." No hope?" the wise one asked,"How foolish, for as long as there is a breath of life there is hope. Think of all of the people who have sprung to their spiritual feet at the challenge of no hope and proved there is always hope."
To lie down and be discouraged is our temptation. But to hope and have faith is our wisdom. You say, life's cruel blows have left you black and blue, that no one knows how deeply you hurt.
The wise one answers, "You are not alone. There is no despair, heartache, that has not been experienced by many human beings even before you were born. Still, I know your agony is unique because you are experiencing it. And no one can promise you an instant cure for your pain or problems." But if you muster up courage, and if you remember there is a season for all things, time can be the best friend you will ever have.
Most of us have no trouble accepting the fact that it takes time for our bodies to heal following serious illness. Yet, we can't seem to accept that time is also needed to recover from traumatic emotional experiences. We don't forget such experiences but time does soften the pain. And the time will come when the memory will not evoke intense pain within us. But, we cannot, no matter how efficient we may be, set a time limit for the different seasons that come to us in life. It is folly to presume that we can allot a certain period of our lives to be happy, to laugh, to weep, to recover from life's blows.
The day when life is again beautiful and worth living comes at different times for different people after a period of darkness. Theodore Tilton wrote in The King's Ring, "Once
in Persia reigned a king..Who upon is signet ring..Graved a maxim true and wise--Which if held before the eyes..Gave him counsel at a glance...Fit for every change and chance. Solenm words, and these are they, 'Even this shall pass away.'"
See you next time
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