Where does the time go?
Have you noticed lately that time has gone into hyper-drive? You wake up one morning and suddenly you’re 10 years older, everything is faster and technology is advancing so quickly that by the time you read this most likely you will need a software update!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to offer yourself the gift of time? To simply sit back, relax and invite the ever-dependable clock to simply stop for a moment…or two. While this may seem impossible in many countries, the good news is that here in Guatemala the commodity of time is still abundant if you choose to claim it for yourself.
Walk down any given street with an openness to enjoying time and you will effortlessly find it waiting for you. Here in La Antigua Guatemala there is an abundance of good-hearted people who would love to chat. From street vendors to visitors, people tend to relax more while immersed in the charm of Guatemala.
This can have both an upside and a potential downside, as it is a reminder that we should be clear about how we chose to spend our time. To practice slowing down means that we must relax more and let go of expectations. By slowing down, we “smell the roses” more and claim the prize of the present moment.
One of the most beautiful sights in Guatemala is mid-day mealtime. Driving to our hotel at Lake Atitlán, or through any of our stunning countryside at the same time each day, reveals the powerful reminder that for some, time is abundant and enjoying a relaxed meal is healthful.
You see workers walking toward the center of a field or gathering just about anywhere: mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, workers, friends and anyone else who is in the area. They most often form a circle and sit together while they each pull out their lunch. The laughter begins, the eating begins and on many occasions we have witnessed the one who had nothing to contribute except his or her presence, enjoy a share in the lunchtime offering.
Together they will sit, socialize and rejuvenate. In that moment time is on their side. They have claimed the moment and celebrate it fully.
Whenever we are on vacation there is the temptation to be so overscheduled that our time actually speeds up and we arrive back from our destination needing another vacation!
While you are here pondering how quickly the time has passed and how rapidly it is speeding up with no apparent end in sight, perhaps you can take that one moment, sit down, share some conversation and enjoy a great cup of Guatemalan coffee as you remember that time only has the power we give it.
It is a choice to live a more paced lifestyle. Each day offers rewards if we pay attention. Yet, from time to time, we do look up and recognize that the calendar seems to have its own pace.
We also celebrate this month’s anniversary of the Revue, and yes, we ask ourselves, where does the time go?