CIRCLES OF TIME

 

MAYAN CALENDAR, ROCK PETROGLYPH & APPLE ICON

I stumbled across this very apt definition of a circle of time long ago that “A circle is the reflection of eternity which has no beginning and no end.”  Consequently, ancient petroglyphs left etched in deserts and on all manner of rocks have survived over time indicating that mankind has related to circular concepts ever since our beginning.  They've been found in a multitude of burial mounds, possibly symbolizing the immortality of the spirit.  Even the ancient Mayans created circular long count calendars.  I mention this because after upgrading my iPhone recently, I discovered that it was necessary to unpair my previous iPhone from my electronic watch before it could be paired with my new one.  And somewhere in the process, I somehow managed to lock up the watch before I had finished the transition.

After spending too much time for even a retired person, I relinquished and called Apple’s Support line this morning.  Thankfully, the young woman that took my call was not only knowledgeable, but patient with my generation.  We had an amiable conversation as she walked me through a series of steps which I would have never maneuvered on my own.  As we neared our final destination to releasing the shackles on my iWatch, a wheel miraculously appeared on the screen and began a slow progression of turning on the wheel’s outer lights. The system was illuminating instructions being issued and completed to restore time back into my unstructured life.

 The circle was reminiscent of the Settings icon that Apple uses and the outer lights on the circle were slowly moving to complete this circle of time.  I’ve always had a fascination with circles and the 1972 release of the Harry Chapin song “Circle” immediately came to mind.  My technical support person had tapped into my iPhone for the fix with my permission and I mentioned the animated circle on my watch reminded me of Harry Chapin’s lyrics that

“All my life’s a circle,

Sunrise and sundown,

Season’s spinning round again,

the years keep rollin’ by.”

There was a long pause on the other end and my smart, young, support analyst remarked that she didn’t know that song or Harry Chapin.  I did some quick math in my senior brain and surmised that the song was released 50 years ago.  So, I suggested she Google the title later just as the long count circle of time was completed.  My watch sprang to life and we parted amicably as I promised to give her a great rating on the follow up survey.    

The annual seasons move from spring to summer to fall to winter as we complete one more trip around the sun and add one more candle to our birthday cake. We’re born dependent, experience childhood, grow to independent adulthood, then ease into old age and begin to circle back. Generation follows generation, one season follows another, and the years fly swiftly by, filled with happiness and tears. Only time will tell if it was time well spent.

AUTUMN EQUINOX

 

EVENING SUNSET, KIAWAH, SC

"Life is the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset."

--Chief Crowfoot

Next Saturday marks the Autumn Equinox for this year and the first day of fall.  That implies that both daytime and nighttime will be equal as the nights will become longer than our days.  The hot and humid days of summer are waning, abdicating to northerly breezes that are cooler and dryer, a prophetic breath of autumn.  It’s a time when the sun seamlessly retreats earlier over the horizon and autumn leaves awaken to their true colors as green chlorophyl also retreats back into mother earth’s womb.  The colorful leaves wave goodbye to summer on their journey back into the stardust of all matter.

The annual seasons move from spring to summer to fall to winter as we complete one more trip around the sun and add one more candle to our birthday cake. The temperatures can rapidly go from 90 to 55 faster than spotting a speed trap!  We’re born dependent, experience childhood, grow to independent adulthood, then ease into senior citizenship and begin to circle back. Generation follows generation, one season follows another, and the years fly swiftly by, filled with happiness and tears. Only time will tell if it was time well spent.

Perhaps at this particular time of the year, all creation serves as a reminder that this life not only has beginnings but also endings for every living organism and even every material object.  It reminds us to strive to live wisely and with a positive intention so that our lives matter and we won’t squander a priceless opportunity.  The imminent fallow time of winter on the horizon reminds us to live a life that will enable us to look back on the winter of our life and not be sad because it’s over, but to smile because it happened.

The lowering rays of the sun on the evening horizon have begun their disappearing act earlier each evening.  Relentless ocean waves continue their assault on the beaches and lengthening rays render staring westward a blinding ordeal.  Ocean breezes calm down as the night cools to sweater weather.  Warm deserts and hot coffee on the ocean pier are a welcome treat after a seafood dinner and a career afternoon out in nature on the golf course.

Dark shadows silently descend on the motionless land as gentle rain drops once again quench the thankful earth.  Another circle of life has marked the earth’s passage around the sun.  And in the midst of the peaceful calm, God whispers through the stillness, “Well done, rest and be at peace; the cycle of life circles on.”