On top of the rock

On top of the rock
Our Cliff

Sunday, January 24, 2010

A POSTING FROM MAURICE

Oy y Mañana. (Today and Tomorrow).

Two things we humans cannot escape from: Gravity, and Aging.

While both, in one way or another, affect all things on Earth, as humans we are more susceptible to aging and the passing of time.

We have made an art of the passing of time. Time is a precise necessity, a need we live by constantly. We are now slaved by it.

We start our day when that awful sound of an alarm clock, we regrettably had set the previous evening, bring us out of that enjoyable and so needed sleep. We quickly wash, dress, have a quick bite and hit the roads, where we find that thousand of others are doing exactly the same thing. We head to work, an 8:30 am to 5:00 pm job most of us would rather do without. Two 15 minute breaks, one half hour lunch, and back on the road for the trip home. Dinner, TV, everything precisely timed to the minute, all the way to bed time, usually very late, after, of course, having set the darn alarm clock. When that thing goes off early the next morning we start the whole process again.

This existence where the hours and the minutes control every bit of life is considered normal. Some places even go to the extent of splitting the second: T minus.. 5..4..3..2..1..BANG.

And so time passes and the more we count it the more we ask ourselves where did the time go?

Obsessed?? Is all this time watching really necessary? Does it really matter if it’s 10:28 instead than 10:30?

Shelby and I, now live in Mexico. Things seem to have quieted down a bit. It’s very difficult, if not impossible to do away with all references to time. After all the sun rises and falls, but that’s just that, the sun is now our guide. The battery on my trusty wrist watch ran out. That did so sometime last year. I never bothered replacing it. After a few weeks of wearing a watch that constantly showed 9:52 and 38 seconds, don’t know if that was AM or PM, I finally gave up, put it in a drawer and forgot about it. I don’t even look at my naked wrist anymore in search of that watch that would tell me what time it was. Somehow I’ve learned to do without. The hours and the minutes that so precisely dissected our days are forgotten. All we are left with is “Oy y Mañana” If it cannot be done Oy there is always Mañana. There are plenty of Mañanas. Mexico has an endless supply of Mañanas. Everyone uses them, but still there is an abundance of Mañanas left.

My typical day: I wake up; that would be “Oy” and it is still dark outside. I hear the waves crashing on the beach not that far away, a great soothing sound to wake up to; So different from that old blaring alarm clock. Shelby is still at sleep, I toss and turn for a while then my body tells me, enough; get up do something, so I do. I get the coffee going, maybe do some computer work, like trying to solve the water pumping task for our water supply; or figuring out the electrical consumption and resulting drain from the batteries if we run an extra light or use a microwave, or just simply read a book.

The sun will soon rise, it will put a smile on everyone’s face and Oy will start and be in full force. Oy, we may do previously planned work around our place, or just drive to our nearest towns, La Paz or Cabo to do some shopping, hang out and spend and enjoy the Oy there. No set rules really.

As things are discussed, the first hints of Mañana are mentioned. Shall we get that faucet now? No, I think Mañana would be best, and so on, Mañana this, Mañana that. A stomach uneasiness is felt so it must be time for some lunch. So we stop and do that. At times we drive to our favorite place, not too far, plenty of food and very low prices. We eat and enjoy each other, the ocean breeze, maybe some friends if they happen to be there and the few cars that drive by. When the beer is gone and we don’t feel like having another one, we know it’s time to leave, lunch is over. As the sun continues its path to meet the ocean, that happens every day, we realize that Oy is about to end; always a beautiful end. Sunsets are spectacular, always different then the previous Oy but always spectacular. We head home have supper, do a few things. We have no TV, and since by now it’s dark outside, we go to bed.

Sometime in our sleep, almost magically, what was our mañana transforms into a new Oy and a new Mañana is on its way.

Shelby tells me I look more relaxed, I smile more, and even look a bit younger. I look at her and see the same thing. What is happening? Oh, having mentioned Gravity… We may have both lost a little bit of weight.

Maybe we are turning back time here in Mexico. Want to join us?

3 comments:

  1. Oh, what a lovely writing. I have tears in my eyes as I visualize you two on your adventure. You're doing what so many of us fantasize about. Your postings are like a daily cup of espresso...can't wait to get it. love and warmth to you both...

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  2. YAHOO!!!!!!!!! Good for you guys. You are so lucky but it is a LUCK that you have created. Good things happen to good people. Miss U.

    Harky

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  3. Your day is coming Tommy :) Miss you, too.

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