My cell phone’s ringtone is a song by James Taylor, “Secret O’ Life” and when it rang this morning it reminded me of the meaning of its lyrics. They tell us that the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time…sounds simple doesn’t it?
For me, enjoying the passage of time means that we can learn to embrace life as we move through time. When we are grieving, we tend to hold onto memories, emotions, and feelings from when our loved one was with us, for we feel that is all we have left of them.
But, we really have more than that; we simply need to look in our heart to feel the love that lives outside time. So, when we get bogged down in grief and hold onto what was, perhaps we can move to a place where we can touch the love that we feel right now and release some of our sadness.
The song’s lyrics also invite us to view life as a “lovely ride”, and as such we should enjoy the ride and anticipate what’s around the next bend, and occasionally remember with fondness and love what’s also behind us. Most importantly though is to be present with where you are, and what you are feeling at THIS moment in time. For NOW is all we have in the dimension of time.
We really are simply passengers on our “lifeboat” as we move through the waters of time, touching lives, feeling joy and sadness, sharing love and then allowing time’s passage to carry us in its arms to our next destination–while enjoying the passage of time.
Sharon Clark
