A Time for Everything

Of the numerous biblical references I remember from my long ago Scripture classes, one that came to mind today is the passage from Ecclesiastes 3 that begins: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…” These well-known verses go on to declare that there is a proper time for each of the numerous activities that human beings engage in – from dancing and laughing and building up, to weeping and killing and breaking down. Clearly the reference is to balance and perhaps the cyclical nature of our lives, where joy and celebration don’t last forever, but neither do sadness and mourning. The passage concludes with the observation that each thing is beautiful in its time and serves a purpose in God’s overarching plan.

I am not Christian or even religious in the traditional temple-going sense, but so often our holy books are really about our daily lives. We have traveled so many phases of our lives life where the focus was outward – on a spouse or children or a career – it is wonderful to reach a phase where focus can now be turned upon ourselves. Of course this is self-centered but it is also right, because it is time. After all, there is a time for everything and this is my time.

http://www.5oclockreflections.com/a-time-for-everything/

Digital Crossing

We live in a new world that presents us each day with never-before-encountered situations. This morning, LinkedIn invited me to congratulate a contact on his work anniversary and I am sure several of that person’s other contacts received the same suggestion. Nothing wrong with this, except that my contact (who used also to be a very dear friend) passed away more than two years ago.

It was a disturbing incident for me (and I imagine for some others that knew him well) but, given the large numbers of contacts many of us have on these sites, it is safe to assume this happens every day. I was disturbed enough to do some research and learn there is actually a book titled ‘The Digital Beyond’ authored by Evan Caroll to dwell on such dilemmas. I understand Mr. Carroll works towards making digital experiences ‘more personal, more emotional and more effective’ and has co-authored another book ‘Your Digital Afterlife: When Facebook, Flickr and Twitter Are Your Estate, What’s Your Legacy?’. In this age of social media, we might all want to consider this question, just as we think about the other possessions that we bequeath or the other aspects of our lives where we seek to effect closure.

A part of me can’t help longing nostalgically for a simpler time, when meeting and talking and hand-written letters served to make our experiences ‘more personal, more emotional and more effective’…

http://www.5oclockreflections.com/digital-crossing/