Day 4 - 221 -- Disappearing Time

Where does time go? I've wondered about the nature of time passing for many years. It has been the topic of this blog several times. I've chatted with friends who retired recently. All have noted that one loses track of which day it is, which has pros as well as cons <smile>. It means that a new rhythm may be developing and the usual Sunday and Monday work-related anxieties diminish. One friend noted that having a schedule helped for the first few months, otherwise the days would just disappear. I laughed and noted that with my to do list-making propensity, that shouldn't be a problem <smile>. This comment did make me recall my parents' calendar on the fridge. They found this useful as they often double booked themselves -- something that made me smile, for it meant that they weren't just sitting around in rockers on the front porch <grin>. As for my main question, I may have to read Hawking's A Brief History of Time to get the physics and philosophical sides of the time story clearer.

This week has made me think more about time. My vacation days officially began yesterday after a long weekend. Being away from the usual routine has made me unsure what day it is -- already! Plans are underway to get the fun stuff on the 'to do' list onto a calendar. If not, the time may just disappear on me. Questions of time moving by without noticing evolved from discussions and readings about the challenge of illness particularly dementias. Time takes on a different meaning when one is sick. If that becomes a chronic illness, it must be demoralizing that time passes without the ability to do things as one might wish. Early dementia carries the knowledge that memories and abilities are and will continue to decline. Knowing that time will continue without making new memories must be challenging.

So many things seem to impact the way we perceive the passage of time. Simply knowing there is more behind one than in front of one can sharpen the desire to make the most of each and every day. Without being maudlin, Glen Campbell and his family provided a positive example of how to do this. On June 9 of this year, just two months prior to his death, his final studio album was released. It is on my summer shopping list. Most of this album was recorded in 2012 and 2013. His producer sat in the recording booth with Campbell and recorded the songs line by line. Melodies could be recalled, but the words created memory difficulties. So, even in the midst of great personal change -- in health status and understanding of time passing -- it is possible to continue to do what we enjoy and maybe even to learn something new.

The selections from today come from that final album. The voice remained clear with a breath-taking tenor pitch. The first song was recorded with the songwriter and deals directly with the passage of time. The second selection is the title song from this final album. The video is stunning and features Campbell's daughter and many others in a wonderful metaphorical journey. Enjoy!

Funny (how time slips away) -- Glen Campbell ft. Willie Nelson

Adios -- Glen Campbell