Changing the clocks of our Lives

Changing Clocks! It is an annual ritual in many parts of the world. Most of us sleep through it. But before and after we change our clocks we think of the ritual in terms of how it affects our sleep and the amount of daylight we experience when we are awake. Will we gain… or lose… an hour of sleep or daylight?

We can think about this annual ritual as a metaphor for our lives. What if we could “replay” an hour that we lost in our lives. Of course, we don’t get to replay the hour we lost. Nor do we get to skip ahead and see our futures by changing clocks.

There seemed to be an instance where Vincent wanted to change the clock of his life and “get those damned letters” back that he wrote earlier in his life.

Charles Dickens’ version of changing the time clocks of our lives

But what if we could see clearly the effects of our past actions on our lives today? What would we like to do over? What if we could see where our lives were headed if we keep doing what we are doing today? What would we see if we pause to look at where our lives are heading?

Isn’t that the timeless story of Ebenezer Scrooge?

In Dickens’ version of changing clocks, Ebenezer gets to look at his life backward and forwards. We all know the story. Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. These visions changed his life! He looked at his vision and mission in life.

Changing the clocks of our lives and mission

This year the changing of our time clocks coincides with the beginning of Lent. For many visitors to his blog, this week is an opportunity to step back and look at the vocational choices we have already made- marital, religious, or priestly. The tale of Ebenezer can stimulate us to visit our past idealism about whatever ever vows we have made. Have these vows traveled well with us into the present? As we look at how we are living those vows now what adjustments do we need to make if those vows are to carry us into the future?

For those who have yet to make their choices of vocation and mission in life this can be the time to look to the future and ask: What is the meaning or mission of my life? What do I need to do now in terms of accepting and living that mission?

Checking our vocational time clocks

• How do I see my mission in life?
• What would I most like to do over in my life?
• What do I need to do in the present?
• As I look to the future what do I need to change in my present to fulfill my future?