The Joys of Wearing a Watch
Me and time do not have a strong relationship. As an abstract concept time has well and truly infiltrated the lives of all whom I know, myself included. Now, I am all for the abstract, the concepts that can be discussed, philosophized, put down and moved away from. Time, however, refuses to be ignored. Refuses to stop, and insists in continuing on in it’s meandering way one second at a time.
In order to adhere closer to the acceptable standards of time I have begun to wear a watch. A beautiful heavy, stainless steel, bulky, masculine watch. A watch designed to be use inter space. One that is released into the atmosphere beyond and continues to tick, one second at a time. This design is unaware of the awesomeness of this feat of being in space, of it’s relation to the sun, of becoming closer to it’s connection of origin.
This watch has more design features than I ever intend on utilizing. It can point me to the north should I ever be lost, it can glow in the dark should I need to light my way. It shows me the date without calculations or back counting. It’s second hand keep’s ticking should I ever need to watch my pulse. The many faces show me that everything can be looked at from a different perspective. Should I decide to dive into the ocean blue, it will tell me how much air I have left. It does all of these magnificent things, none of which is the way I use my new watch.
The joy I find in wearing this watch is that it is heavy. I can consistently know where my right hand is. It keeps me in the present. It keeps me held in space. It is on my right hand, I can feel what is my right, and what is my left. I don’t need to look for my right hand freckles, nor the L shape in my left. I can feel it. It is here on my arm, loose on my wrist, it moves like a bangle, constantly keeping my right from my left.
I can look at the dials and hands and numbers every moment and see order. To see measured steps, to breath with the ticking time and find peace, consistently and patterns. It removes me from my phone, which I pick up to check the time, only to forget and fall down the rabbit hole of distraction. It keeps me focused on the task at hand and provides no opportunities to escape.
Finally it tells me the time. It tells me when I need to leave, it provides not just numbers but a hand position that can ignite action. Plus the battery does not drain no matter how many times I turn my wrist and look. I can’t remember one minute to the next what the actual time is. My watch harbors no resentment, no matter how many times I ask from it the same question, over and over again. It provides the answer, without judgment, without a sigh, without a snarky 5 mins from the last time you asked, and when I ask again mer moments from the previous question, the same question again. It will provide me the new answer with the same amount of ease.
As I said, time and I don’t have a strong relationship, but this watch, my watch, is bringing us closer.
