Probability or Possibility?  Controversy or Opportunity?   

By Susan Saint John, Ed.D. 

As spring arrives, time seems to “fly” and often times one wonders, “Where did the time go” or sometimes wishing for “time to stand still”.   The management of time is often difficult to handle but the reality of time but is more about the management of time.  The how, the what, and the why of time suddenly shows us the reality of life and how to handle it.  William E. Lewis, Jr reminds us, “Time is something you can’t get back – make the most of every moment.”  Easier said than done as time all too often becomes a probability or a possibility filled with opportunities or controversies and maybe both! 

Time is a process and not an event and a part of every day living, documented by minutes, hours, weeks, months, and years.  How to decide what to do with time presents it more as a probability or a possibility.  As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands, in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”.   The Corona Virus brought moments of inconvenience as the world changed before our eyes.  The convenience of doing what one wanted, when, how, why, and where one wanted to, changed.  The world was challenged to live lives through a process that is ever changing, challenging at times, and possibly creating controversy for some, along the way.   

Dennis Brown states, “No man is an island.  No man stands alone” yet this is exactly what may have happened if we view time as an event and not a process.  How life is valued may be viewed in terms of where one stands with family, friends, and more, but time teaches us the process is filled with possibilities and opportunities.  Reflecting upon this, the time before, during, and after the one “event” that changed habits and lives forever, might now be perceived as moments in time.  Lives and times were valued in terms of family, friends, and daily routines and through these moments, time has become a process giving opportunities that may form, and yet challenge thoughts, actions, beliefs, and attitudes.  The pandemic has taught the value of life – with friends, family, and more that may have become a distant memory – moments frozen in time to treasure forever. Time has become a process, an approach to how to continue, to set goals, make plans, and continue moving forward through the days, the weeks, and the months ahead.  Brown’s thoughts teach us to seek interactions with others, create opportunities to make memories with others, and value time with family and friends. 

Reflecting about this process – the time before, during, and after the one “event” that changed lives forever, affirms the idea of time being a process and not an event.  The time impacted by the pandemic taught the value of life – friends, family, and more as we watched the world change in a minute and time doing what one loved with friends and families became more of a distant memory – moments frozen in time to treasure forever.  It has taught us to view time as a process – an approach to how we continue, setting goals, making plans, and moving through the days, the weeks, and months ahead. 

As the end of another academic year approaches, one suddenly may realize how quickly time has passed.  “Time is something you can’t get back – make the most of every moment” is the advice given by William E. Lewis, Jr.  For sure, spring brings the closure to another academic year, the journey lies before us to process the moments needed to continue, to go on, to plan, to live each moment as if time was all that was left to do what one loves or is meant to do, making the most of every moment.  Moments that are part of a process to building better tomorrows, an approach to viewing what must be done as a possibility and not a probability, not a challenge but an opportunity.   As time passes, the process presses – how to make the most of every moment and embrace an opportunity, become part of the possibility and challenge the probability?  Preparing for each day shows us that time is indeed a process – the process of living, growing, building a better world, together.  Regardless of the end result, time will be a part of it – viewing time as a process and not a one time event, that has come and gone, yet impacted lives in a variety of  ways – it does not stand still, it does not repeat itself and time can not be given back.  Time is not a “day light savings” event…it is a process, ever unfolding, offering hope, possibilities, challenges, and opportunities. 

Time makes things possible…..for time does not stand still, time does not wait for anyone…it continues on, processing moments, memories, and more.  

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