I have been thinking about time a lot...ok- constantly since reading T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets and it amazes me, scares me. The whole essence of time is rather mind boggling. Not only to I constantly think about the idea that all we have is the present, but the idea of how time works and how literally 1 second could change everything. My sister e-mailed a poem called" Time" I think (posted below). It made me realize how absolutely oblivious humans can be to time until something happens that forces them to truly think about it in a completely different way. Then, I found out over the weekend that my brother had been hit by a drunk driver while he was on duty as a police officer in Minneapolis. A few short moments could have changed many lives and luckily he is recovering. I guess even more than writing an intellectual blog I want people to think more about time and how it changes, how it's important and to realize that never ever will we conquer it.
Eliot's emphasis on time is absolutely astounding and I wish we could talk more about this...although to be honest I think T.S. Eliot has made me a bit argumentative because now I feel like I am constantly judging how people spend their time...though I have no room to speak.

To Realize

"To realize the value of ten years: ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years: ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year: ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months: ask a mother who has given birth to a stillborn.

To realize the value of one month: ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week: ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one hour: ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of one minute: ask the person who has missed the train, bus, or plane.

To realize the value of one second: ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realize the minute of one millisecond: ask the person who has one a silver medal in the Olympics.

To realize the value of a friend: lose one.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have."

This poem is actually really depressing but...it stuck with me when I received it.

Time....what is it even?