How long is a "long time" ? The English language expresses duration in several colorful idioms: 'a blue moon'; 'right smart while'; 'a dog's age'; 'a lifetime'; 'when pigs fly'; 'not in a coon's age'; and this one: 'A MONTH OF SUNDAYS'. Now that's a long time. One dictionary offered this definition : "A very long time; a period regarded as too long." Why that metaphor? One suggestion focused on Sunday's being a long, dreary time caused by various amusements not being allowed on that day. A movie with Rod Steiger, a novel by John Updike and a once popular song appropriated 'A Month of Sundays' as a title.
Like many teens, it seemed to 'take an eternity' to reach the magic age of 16 when a driver's license marked a rite of passage. When I was a child in the early1940's, December had days without number before Christmas arrived.
This vast expanse of waiting came to mind when I saw this Pogo comic that someone had posted on Facebook : (The dialogue boxes are a tad small but worth the read if you have an appreciation for Walt Kelly's Pogo-esque humor. Also, try enlarging the view on your screen.)
These denizens of the Okeefenokee Swamp recognized the subjective nature of time's duration, even though not using the phrase. In the last panel above, one critter asks "So how about 104 days for the month of DECEMBER ?" That's about how long it took for Christmas to arrive in my pre-adult years. Now another expression seems more apropos: Tempus fugit . . . time flies. It seems that we have just put away seasonal decorations and here we are bringing them down from the attic. And around here this year, the pace has accelerated with Spring temperatures in the 80's in February.
Rumor has it that accumulating candles on one's birthday cakes has a direct effect the speed of time. I and several of my college friends have had or will celebrate 85 years in these months. With that, yet another phrase comes to mind Carpe diem eloquently phrased by Robin Williams's character in the movie Dead Poets Society, "Carpen diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary."
It's been a month of Sundays since I have heard better advice.
Satchel
Ron--If you aren't carpe-ing the diems, you aren't living! I left full-time work for temporary (locum) primary care because it gives Jim and me time to travel, see new places, and enjoy down-time at home. Writing to you from snowy Maine where I am on assignment until May, then off to Oregon. Life is too short, and I'm trying to cram every bit of experience into it! Wish it were easier to work as an NP in Europe...
ReplyDeleteBrilliant perspective and a philosophy to live by, especially for those of us (certainly including me) who have many months of Sundays now showing up in their rearview mirrors. Bravo, Sir Satch!
ReplyDelete"The only think I don't like about history is that it doesn't deal with the future." -- Jim Harrison
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