What if we could capture time?

The concept of time is bewildering. While one person is saying to themselves "where did the time go?" another is thinking "c'mon clock, hurry up!". I've been in both positions many times, but lately find myself constantly not having enough of it. I think it would be safe to say that time is something that people would gladly pay to have more of. But as that's not how it works, time rolls on....

Is there a trick to spending your time, though? I've heard "use your time wisely" often. What does "wisely" mean? Are we to spend it getting an excelerated education with our noses to the grindstone, getting "wiser" and "wiser" all the time? Or would a wise use of your time be sharing as much of it as you can with the ones you love? How about seeing as many places in the world as you can before time eventually runs out? I'm sure the workaholic who spends 12 to 15 hours a day at the office would say they spend their time wisest. I guess that question could be answered in many ways. I don't know that I have an answer for it. I know that trying to find time in the day to do all of the things that I want to do seems to be practically impossible; that is unless I don't wanna get my 8 hours required sleeping every nite, and is that really using my time wisely? :-) (Secret: I rarely get 8 hours. Do you?)

I remember when I was a kid and I had all the time in the world to sit around, read my books, talk on the phone, play jacks,(yep, I played jacks, but I also played marbles, so there!), and do any number of things and not worry about a single tick of the clock. The only time I worried about was that hour and minute when I heard my mom yell "time to get up!" Ugh, I hated that time. But in general, I had no concept of the mystery of time. But, what I wouldn't do to have those days back! Now, it's ALL about time. How much time will it take to go back and finish college? How much time do I need to get a master's degree? How much time will I have before I have to turn my book in at the library? How much time do I have before my car's paid off? How much time before I can be a successful writer? How much time before they send a disconnect notice for the cable bill? It goes on and on and on. Can I just be that 10 year old again who just wanted to go behind the house and play kissing games with cousin Trisha?

It seems the older you get, the faster time goes and of course, the less of it you have. My daily dilemma now sounds like this: How much time can I spend on my writing everyday, but at the same time devote myself to keeping up with my Spanish lessons, WHILE making sure I dedicate a slot to get a work-out in? Let's not forget I have reality shows I need to watch,and a boyfriend who needs attention! Eeesh, and that's just from the time I have from the moment I get off work til my head hits the pillow at night. And not so far in the past, I DID have two other jobs to boot! And somewhere in there, 8 hours of sleep is required. HA! Benjamin Franklin never had to worry about a Family Guy marathon!

I guess the challenge as an adult who now knows the importance of time and how precious it is, is to take every moment you have and cherish it. Don't spend a lot of time doing things that are negative or a waste of your energy and spirit. Do things with your time that make you happy, and that move you closer to fulfillment. If time is a mystery, then surely the concept of happiness is even more of an enigma. But I hope that whereas time will continue to be aloof and pass me by, I'll be able to grab and hold my happiness tightly, understanding it, nourishing it and making it grow. I know I'll have that, as time flies on......