A New Measure of Time

One of the items on my Christmas wish list was a digital clock for my bedside table. Nothing fancy, just a simple timepiece that shows the hour of the day or night. My wish was granted beyond expectation. The clock I received is like none I have ever had, far more than a simple readout of time. This 21st Century model packs a lot of information into its 3” by 5” profile.

Once a timezone is chosen from its function setting, my clock displays the exact time without any intervention on my part. It’s lighted display panel automatically changes the level of brightness based on my personal preference; I chose 100 % brilliance for day, 5% for night. Better yet, this clock displays a daily calendar, the day of the week, and date of the year. As an added bonus, it indicates temperature and humidity levels in the room where it sits; this bit of information provides a handy excuse to stay under the covers a bit longer on chilly mornings.

However, the most intriguing feature on my new clock is a small graphic that shows the current phase of the moon. I checked it for accuracy one day, or rather, one night; it works! But, why would this matter to anyone? I considered how people measured the passage of time before clocks were invented. Mariners used the sun, moon, and stars to navigate vast oceans over periods of weeks and months. They seem to have discovered a natural rhythm to life that flows more easily than the manic pace of modern civilized mankind.  

As with everyone else, time is running out for me. And, I may not accomplish everything I’ve set out to do in my lifetime. That doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I allow time for the most important things in my life. Among those things are time set aside to be with God, time for dreaming, and time for writing. Sometimes the clock ceases to matter while I am writing, and I end up penning precious messages for my grandson and his children yet to come. Indeed, my little clock has done far more than I imagined. It has taught, and continues to teach me to measure my time in a more valuable way.