One morning recently I opened my Journal, ready to write: ‘I woke up late today.’ But I didn’t (well I did get up late) I stopped as the thought went through my mind: what does late actually mean.

Well, I know what late means as I suppose we all do, but I Iooked it up anyway. And, of course it means exactly what we think it means: ‘after the expected, proper, or usual time.’

Expected, usual, or proper. Three words guaranteed to get me thinking. After all, who is it exactly that prescribes (or proscribes) what is the expected, usual or proper time or what is not?

Then the lyrics of a song called A Blessing in Disguise by singer-songwriter Graham Connors came to me. One particular blessing he lists in the song is a watch that runs backwards. The watch owner’s friends all offer to have it fixed, but he says no thank you; it suits me just fine:

It reminds me that time is a state of mind
a restriction we place on our lives.

Yes, exactly. I’m sure we all sometimes see time as a restriction. How many of us are tired of (not to mention exhausted by) appointments, schedules, alarms waking us up, too many hours at ‘waste of time’ jobs, too many hours when we’re not at that job, the endless hours spent hypnotized by one screen or another?

In other words, we live bound by restrictions we place (or allow others to place) on ourselves and then we wonder why we’re unhappy, frustrated, exhausted, angry, sad and in need of a break; in need of more time.

Well, time, as the song says, is a state of mind. It’s how we look at time; that’s the point. Forget the restrictions. No, I don’t mean quit your job (though I never suggest to anyone they not quit their job), ignore family or other ‘obligations’ (same disclaimer). What I am suggesting is that you find ways to look at time as the ongoing present, a state of mind to be in, to be in presence. Not future. Not past. And never ever static.

One can never be late. One can only ever be here and now, in that previously mentioned ongoing present. You are the one to decide what is ‘proper’ for you; it’s up to you to create your own unique ‘usual’

And as for ‘expectations’: well, if you have to have them (and expectations are really only imaginings about events, situations, and circumstances that aren’t real yet and may never be), at least make them your own.
Peace