#division of time

[kalahs-beautiful-realm]

Genesis 1:14-15

[livingnomadstyle]

Division of Time

The division of time. This is a topic I know a lot about but have not, nor do I think will ever master. Time is the most precious resource we have, in my opinion. You can lose all of your money and, with some diligence, you can make it all back. But, as soon as you spend one second of time with someone doing something, you can never, ever get that one second back. Time is a finite resource and it…

View On WordPress

[cathyrandall]

Young Alexander: Not a Wild Child (1830)

Twenty-seven year old Alexander gave us a glimpse into his daily life in this entry.   His earlier writings (when he was a bachelor and not yet distracted by the twelve children and five farms he was to acquire) are rather heavy.  He waxed philosophical and was rather more stern as a young man than he became as an old man. May 15th 1830 This, the last evening of the week, could not perhaps be better employed than in making a few reflections on the reasons the week has been short. On the whole perhaps I have reason to be gratified with this reflection than otherwise.  Certain it is there has nothing occurred during this time to give me positive pain…. But who ever can look back on a whole week of recently spent time without some feelings of regret that so little has been done which our duty required of us, so much done which is forbidden, so many hours of which we can give no account whatever?  Alas! viewing our awful … responsibility for the time given us, none of earthly form can with complacency look back upon it. 'Tis remarked (by Young, I believe) that time is given us by moments, that men may use them as they are given.  How many blank there are in each day of my life, I almost fear to examine but I'll take courage: At least eight of the 24 hours are spent in bed and preparing for it.   That takes a considerable part.  I hope it may be never said of me “better for [us] if all were thus spent.” Of the 16 remaining, the first two are devoted to reading the Sacred Scriptures & some work for mental improvement  — and breakfast.    The next 6 hours I spend in my office (often, I fear, to little profit) - then on to discourse and conversation.   My office thus engages [the] three or four [hours] that follow: one I devote to writing in this book [and] the remaining three are generally spent even without a previous determination….as accident or inclination may suggest, sometimes in reading news-papers novels &c., conversation at home, or with my acquaintances abroad, letter writing &c. Now even if I could succeed in this apportioning my time and closely adhering to my [division of] time (which, however, I cannot say is the fact) still there would be hours of each day not even in my division devoted to particular pursuits; still there would be hours —  aye & those [likely] to be the most numerous too — of those consecrated to particular occupations which are spent in a very different manner; still these would be hours of those in which [more could be] done, wherein many interruptions have been made by vain and foolish thoughts, by improper conversations and useless conduct, if not by what is still more criminal.* If, then, it appears that even in our best spent day, we have much, much to lament, much for which we require forgiveness, & much for which that forgiveness is required, even according to our own limited views of things, should we not be sensible that our visions can by no means extend to all the cares of our lives & that thousands of misdeeds remain to [be] accounted for after we have carefully and in vain sought [forgiveness] for them? ——————— Notes: * It’s unclear what he means by “more criminal” but he was beginning to embrace the Temperance Movement and this may be a reference to drinking.  It is hardly possible to imagine this young man engaging in anything remotely “criminal,” even the sin of wasting time.