Viewpoints

By May 27, 2012Archives, Opinion

Time is (very much more than) gold 

By +Oscar V. Cruz, JCD

IN time, one is born and in time he lives. In time too, the same is gone. Time and man are inseparable partners the moment he comes to life. It is exactly when he and time become intimate and continue as companions. Time means blessing and misfortunes, gains and losses. Time bring victories and defeats, laughter and tears. All these depend on what man does or leaves undone, on what he loves or abhors. By the way, time is not impressed by power, nor is it paralyzed by the display of wealth—whereas all power eventually ends and wealth is ultimately gone, in the course of time.

Time is either a friend or an enemy to man. Time is a friend to those whose conscience is clear and whose living is clean. Reason: They are at ease and in peace when in health and during sickness, during the day as well as at night. Time is an enemy to individuals who live vicious lives, who wallow in deceit and injustice. Reason: They are afraid to be identified and exposed, to be thus despised and possibly even penalized in the course of time. But just the same, it still belongs to man to make time an ally or foe—by living in integrity or indulging in perversion.

It is good wherefore to expressly say and duly note that the maxim “Time is gold” is neither particularly true, nor categorically right—by reason of the following realities: That gold is costly, yet it can still be bought. Time, however, cannot be bought as it is has no price. That gold can be kept and even hoarded. Time, however, remains altogether free to come and go, to arrive and vanish in its due course. That the moment time is around, it is quietly yet definitely gone to next moment. This is why the so-called “stopwatch” is a futility in the realm of reality. Real time does not stop for anybody for whatever reason. Nobody and nothing can stop time for whatever reason or cause.

The matter of the existence and use of the calendar comes to mind. Therein are found regularly and/or repeatedly mentioned the seven days of every week and the twelve months of every year. So is it that practically all people the world over, regularly and/or repeatedly celebrate such occasions as birthdays, feast days and other occasions based precisely on the Roman calendar—something that is but intelligently thought of and artificially drawn, The downright truth and fundamental reality remain that once something has taken place, never does it return to again happen– notwithstanding all wishes to the contrary. Without the least denying the value of good will and proper intention—plus the joy and satisfaction—of celebrating anniversaries, the objective truth remains that what already passed by is not something that comes back every year, every decade, much less its every centennial.

Time is an opportunity to do good, to live honestly, act properly. Time is both an offering and a gift to live in truth, to act with justice, to sow peace. Time is precisely an occasion—a chance—a chance for people to reach the hereafter and beyond by thinking right, doing and behaving well here and now.

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