The Gift of Time
Singer/songwriter Jim Croce wrote the lyrics to “Time in a Bottle” in 1970 when his wife told him she was pregnant with their son, but it wasn’t until after he was killed in a plane crash in 1973 that the song became a number one hit.
Jim’s now famous words, “If I could save time in a bottle / The first thing that I’d like to do / Is to save every day till eternity passes away / Just to spend them with you,” are the core of a beautiful love song, but its imagery transcends genre and illustrates the elusive nature of time.
So, here we are in the month of September already, with summer’s freshness fading behind us and the expectation of autumn shifting attitudes and warning all of nature that change is on its way. This time of year always makes me nostalgic, and every September I wonder what happened to the months of summer—and to all the rest of the year, for that matter.
Time passes swiftly when we are busy, involved, and passionately engaged in the world around us. It creeps when we are disconnected, depressed, or resent the work we are doing. I don’t think it has much to do with being happy or sad, for those attributes can occur in both instances.
Every year at this time I marvel all over again at the level of commitment given by hundreds of volunteers who give the gift of time to make Sundance happen. This year, I was especially in awe, as the new venue required extra days on both ends of the event, and all of us walked miles every day to accomplish all that needed to be done.
People volunteer their time for a variety reasons, I’m sure, but for most, a deep satisfaction comes from giving ourselves and our time and talents to work with others to accomplish something good—or to help someone in need.
My Sundance décor team works like dogs for days, and though at some point along the way they may call me a variety of names, in the end, I see the pride in their weary faces when they look on the finished product, and know that each of them has given every ounce of energy and time and skill that it takes to make the design come alive.
Time is something we cannot get back. Once it’s gone it’s gone. We often take time for granted, but the gift of time is more precious than we realize—and those who give it to others are generous in ways that often go unacknowledged.
When I look back on my life, I discover that I don’t regret my mistakes—unless they hurt someone else—for most of them have shaped who I am today and taught me invaluable lessons. What I do regret, was the time I could not spare to help someone who needed me along the way.
A number of years ago a friend who lived in another city killed himself. I knew he was a loner, and I knew he was lonely and in pain although he didn’t talk about it much in our phone conversations. The thought had crossed my mind that Rehoboth would be a perfect move for him because of the sense of community that is so strong here. But I didn’t act on that impulse. I’ll never know if I could have helped, or if living in another place would have given him the strength and courage to continue to live. But I will always remember that I didn’t take the time from my busy schedule to try and help before it was too late.
Here at CAMP Rehoboth, we require hundreds of volunteers to help with everything from general office work to nurses who help with HIV testing. We partner with non-profit organizations all over Delaware and witness firsthand the tremendous gift of time given by an army of volunteers all over the state.
One of the most widely quoted passages in the Old Testament—in both religious and secular communities—are the first eight verses of Ecclesiastes 3: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Most of us are familiar with the famous verses that follow:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
These verses are timeless because they speak to the dichotomy that is part of the fabric of life. On a gut level we understand them as perfect statements for both the complexity of life and its brilliant simplicity.
No matter one’s philosophy or religious beliefs, what happens to us in time is the reality we experience on this earth. What we do with the time we have is a choice we all make every day.
I’m deeply grateful to all those in our community who have taken time to share their lives with us and with our community. All together we can change the world around us.
Murray Archibald, CAMP Co-founder and President of the Board of Directors of CAMP Rehoboth, is an artist in Rehoboth Beach. Email Murray.
Photos: Sundance volunteers take a lunch break while setting up for the event at Rehoboth Mall; (above) Sundance Food Volunteers Ruth Dickerson, Kathy Davison, and Dawn Henderson at the Sundance Auction.
