Time - that mysterious, unidentifiable, non-quantifiable substance that's just as necessary as air, water and food. No, you can't, see, hear, feel or taste it, but its there nevertheless. Yet, even though it is always present, no one has been able to contain, find or hide from it.
I don't know what time may mean before or after life, but in the here and now it seems to be a constant that slips, slows and flows. Like ripples on a pond, gravitational tides, or the seasons of living, dying, working or playing it's the relentless presence of tick tick tick. Regardless of what we do or don't know about time, it is a power to be reckoned with. And, although some of us have found ways to enhance the quality no one has found a way to cheat time. Likewise, to be alive without time would obviously require a redefinition to the meaning of life.
How often have you noticed --- when scared, happy or tired that the rhythm of the heart seems to speed up or slow down the perception of time? When young - time stands still and our cups runneth over. But, nearing the end of the road it rushes away and silently slips through our grasp.
Have you ever said - sure wished this day or run was over? Of course, you have, knowing full well that you are only going to repeat it just as soon as possible. In other words, you're willing to trade irreplaceable time for dollars. The more dollars you want -- the less time for yourself. What a dilemma!
Hopefully, many of you are fortunate enough to truly enjoy spending all your time behind a desk or a steering wheel. However, on the other hand, I suspect that the majority spends their time working to afford other elixirs of life. Yet, and in contrast to the day by day struggle - zip - in the blink of an eye - time often leaves us stranded on a barren and unfriendly landscape, where hope resides only as a distant memory. So, even though we go to bed with and wake up to our faithful lifelong companion - a nagging question stalks our thoughts - is time our friend or foe?
If DRIVING, DISPATCHING or MANAGING is the only thing in life that means anything then all the time you spend at these endeavors is pure pleasure. However, if you enjoy fishing, hunting, golfing, bowling, the kids, your spouse, or the myriad of other adventures then available time for these endeavors becomes precious. Why? Because we usually don't get paid for playing. And, even though some of us may get paid for fun, being paid for FUN often turns into a four-letter word called W O R K.
Most of us know that all the gold and silver won't buy an extra ounce of time. But, we are plagued with the preverbal question of how are we going to achieve the time we need to enjoy some of life's little pleasures? This is especially true if we have become enslaved to the dollar? To see if the foregoing is true - just take stock of how large the debts are. When debt exceeds the time available are we not bankrupt or in bondage? Just like the 1800's -- everyone's time seems to revolve around hunting and gathering. Some might say that this is rubbish. We are no longer living in an agrarian society. We have entered a new utopian digital age. Then I ask - why are we all in such a rush? Like in the days erased from our memory banks - what we regard as leisure is still usually an ill-afforded luxury. Consequently, and sadly, regardless of how modern we think we are - when we don't get enough time off from work we are subject burnout and often take our pent-up frustrations out on whom we care most about. And because of such, sooner or later we usually realize just how precious these people and moments are. So, let anyone mess with these valuable realities and it's hell to pay.
Regardless whether you're in an office or truck - go ahead and cram those papers or jam them gears. All those extra dimes won't buy a wrench to turn the clock back one-second. Once used it becomes lost forever. So, let's face facts. There's no additional time allotted to anyone. Consequently, what ever the amount is we have, it would seem prudent to make the very best of it whenever and wherever possible. Therefore, regardless of how much stuff or money you do or don't have what is time really worth? Forget about what has been spent. How much of it do you really have left, and how are you going it?
Although, we are all in the same road - no one (you, the company or the customer) can afford downtime. When breakdowns are encountered they are like thieves robbing us of miles, delivery schedules, bottom lines and, of course, precious home time. Likewise, anything that steals my leisure time, including a flat tire is like a thief in the night.
Before heading out on any trip what is first considered? Is it not where the load is going and how much time it will take, and what's the pay? Then, as an added safety measure we initiate a quick double-check with the log to be sure there are enough hrs to complete the haul. Then, comes the creeping thought - I'm happy to have the work, but I'll sure miss what I was enjoying.
It seems that everything we hope for is waiting on the other side of the door or around the next turn. While there are many daily decisions to be faced - what do we do with the reality of this "Just In Time" world we inhabit. Are we really in such a hurry or haste that we will allow the seeds of waste to be sown? Obviously, there are hundreds of incidental and cumulative circumstances that affect our daily lives that we don't have control over. However, the things we can control, and don't, but instead, let chance or Murphy's Law infiltrate and infect seems to be asking for trouble. So, taking stock or doing a Pre-Check is always a valid thing to do.
When charting the course for the day do we find ourselves counting on luck or chance to see us through? I don't know how everyone else plans his or her days. But, I try not to be subject to the whims of troubled winds. We may all be captives to certain lots in life or have predetermined destinies. Irregardless, I still choose to try and make each day's trip to be as rewarding as possible by simply sprinkling a tad of pre-planning and a dose of safety precautions, which for me is called a pre-trip, in trip and post trip inspection.
Any student of life has learned that history repeats itself. For, if it didn't then why do we allow ourselves to make the same mistakes over and over. Hopefully, many of us will recognize the errors of our ways and use time effectively to build better tomorrows. Unfortunately, and sad to say, many of us will wake up one day, and really begin to see, but it will be too late. And all the wishing that I should of done this and that when I had the time won't resolve the condition of our brokedown bodies stranded where fertile fields of hope don't exist.
As we age, we become like a fine wine or soured grapes. So, whether the canvas of your life is painted with the brush strokes of hwys or the wandering corridors of corporate ladders -- time is the terrain we all share. Consequently, I've begun to learn to measure out to who and what I give my time to.
Finally, even though the ride of time is bumpy, full of potholes and speed traps, I know of no other hwy more exhilarating. Therefore, I can only hope that someone will be able to apply some of what I have said herein.
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Created: 10/28/99
Last Rev: 10/25/2000