All In Good Time

3/23/2016

The Lay of the Land

By Lyn Messersmith

All In Good Time

           

“Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.”

Don Marquis

           

            The semi-annual silliness is upon us again. We’re back to getting up in the dark, and barely being able to stay awake until it gets dark. Next fall we’ll begin trying to keep up with yesterday but right now we’re rushing toward tomorrow.

Have you noticed that daylight savings time gets a few weeks longer every year? One of my friends says she wishes they’d just extend it to all year, and be done with the matter. I get her point, but what would be wrong with just staying on standard time? We have plenty of stuff to confuse us without adding any more. Gee, it’s enough to make a body want to move to Arizona. The better part of wisdom may be learning to leave well enough alone.

Perhaps adjusting the clock is simply a symbol of our tendency to discontentment; the notion that nothing is ever well enough; that different will be an improvement. Recreational shopping falls into that category. You don’t need anything, but if you wander through the mall something will surely catch your eye and be revealed as a necessity.

“Would you like to supersize that?”

When did a regular size burger and order of fries become just an appetizer? For that matter, why order an appetizer? Mama used to shut off the snacks mid-afternoon, with the warning that I’d spoil my supper. Any waitress could testify that a ton of food is thrown away every day because people who had to have an appetizer left half their dinner. Those who don’t leave half will end up supersizing themselves.

Americans aren’t very good at delayed gratification, and our culture applauds this. One credit card isn’t enough. That house plan, car, or clothing style is last year’s model.

Payment plans offering no interest for the first year send two messages: that we shouldn’t just save until we can afford the item and that we’re gullible enough not to realize the deferred amount will be added later. Sort of like cutting off the bottom of the blanket and sewing it on the top to make it longer equals daylight savings time.

A talented and ambitious young woman recently lost her job. She’s been in a position of power and prestige for nearly twenty years, but the company is downsizing. She believes it’s unlikely she’ll find employment at the previous salary, so with the older child out of the home and his sister nearly in high school, the family considers selling their house and finding something smaller. Good for them, but that’s not necessarily the opinion of some people close to her, who haven’t the ability to differentiate between want and need.

The truth is, times change. There is the growth spurt period when a kid eats like he has a hollow leg, and needs to, but if that continues indefinitely his health will suffer. For a few years, the family may need a Suburban to haul the kids around, but eventually a compact car makes more sense. Both of my homes are older, and the small rooms with few electrical outlets are frustrating at times. But, given our age, and the fact that we are only two, it would be wasteful to remodel. Well enough as is.

Most of us think in terms of what we’d like to have, rather than what we really need, or can afford, forgetting that our needs will inevitably change. Goals are fine, but when nothing works out the way we planned, perhaps the lesson is that well enough is good enough, for now.  Pushing the river is futile. Sometimes it’s just not time yet.

And sometimes it’s later than we think. Got to hurry—the clock says noon already.