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There are two styles of approaching time. Some persons view time with a “there is never enough” attitude: the Poverty Attitude. Another style is the person who views time with a “there is always enough” attitude: the Plentiful Attitude. If you take the “never enough” approach, you will always feel oppressed by the constriction of time. If you take the “always enough” approach, then, you will experience time like the Buddha and Jesus Christ did and taught: as Eternity. Practicing the Presence of God, or living with Loving Mindfulness, means we enjoy the fullness of time as a plentiful, spacious quality, full of opportunity and blessing.
Harry, played by Jack Nicholson in “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003), is a 63-year-old confirmed bachelor. He has spent his life chasing money and younger women. His latest young girlfriend and he plan a tryst at her mother's beach house. While there, Harry suffers a heart attack. After leaving the hospital, Harry must stay with the mother, Erica, played by Diane Keaton, during his recovery, for he cannot travel. While together, they learn a lot about love and aging.
Harry and Erica are walking the beach together as part of Harry's rehabilitation. Though previously adversarial, both have decided to try to be civil. Each has looked up the other on the Internet to discover the other's past and accomplishments. Harry tells Erica that there are over 8,000 websites mentioning her. She is flattered, but assumes that he is exaggerating. She informs him that she looked him up on the Internet, also. Erica says: "I know you grew up in L.A., which I thought nobody did. You started your own record label at twenty-nine. Very impressive. Sold it at forty. Even more impressive. Then you started a magazine, dabbled in the Internet, and then you invested in a small record company, which you turned into the second-largest hip-hop label in the world!" Harry replies that he is exhausted just listing to her recite his life. Agreeing, Erica says, "The truth is, it goes by fast, doesn't it?" Harry, looking up, replies, "In the blink of an eye."
Yes, time does seem to fly by. Looking at time as transitory and brief helps us come back to the present moment. In the moment we are in Eternity. In that moment no difference exists in the quality of time when we were born or die. With this experience of time, each moment is a gift. Then, we do not seek to own time as “my” time. Nor do we feel a need to pack time with all we can do, as though time is running out. We do not have to feel cheated that time seems to be passing so quickly. We can rejoice in time as a manifestation of Eternity, of God. We can realize time as always opening for enjoyment, challenge, joy, struggle, triumph, and, yes, life and death. With this graceful, friendly relationship with time, like Harry and Erica, we find life richer and love getting better along the way.
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