Observance

Have you ever given a thought to what the abbreviations a.m. and p.m. such as 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. represent?

Well, think of it this way – the definition of the term meridian is the imaginary line from the North pole to the South pole. Each of us have a meridian that passes over our head from north to south.  The sun “rises” in the east passing over each of our “meridian”, then travels toward the west as it “sets." The rising is a.m. short for ante meridian, (ante is a latin term for happening before), and p.m. is post meridian (post, a latin term meaning happening after) or the passing of the meridian heading toward the setting of the sun. So we have before or ante meridian (a.m.) and post (after) meridian or p.m.

I don’t mean to be confusing, but all of this deals with time and reminds us that physical time is limited – 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 365 days in a year and x number of years in a mortal lifetime.

Insight

Life is all about growth. Our physical growth is most obvious, but we also grow in other ways that are more meaningful. 

Not long ago, a man ran into an old high school friend, one he had not seen for many decades. He remembered his classmate as a reckless teenager, but he was now well into his 60s, and he was noticeably different: certainly more responsible and mature, but also kinder and more caring. What a pleasure it was to get reacquainted with this new version of his long-lost friend. He couldn’t help but ponder what experiences must have influenced him over those many years. What heartache and happiness, what successes and sorrows had shaped him and made him into the person he had become?

Then he had a more sobering thought: Have I changed too? How have my experiences shaped and molded me? Do my friends see in me a gentler, more compassionate person? Or do they see the same immature youth I once was? 

Life is all about growth. Our physical growth is most obvious, but we also grow in other ways that are more meaningful. And yet we sometimes struggle to let other people grow too. For some reason, we hold fast to our first impressions of them. Maybe it’s our way of simplifying our complex world. But can’t people change? If someone was wild and wayward years ago, can he mature and straighten out his life? If someone was careless and conceited in the past, can her heart be humbled and softened? 

We had better hope the answer is yes, because each of us has something to change. And if we hope others will allow us to grow and improve, we must allow them to do the same. Life is not about holding on tightly to what we’re familiar with, to what we think we know. It’s about learning and progressing and becoming better versions of ourselves with every passing day – a.m. and p.m. 

So the next time you meet someone you haven’t seen in a while — or even someone you see every day — open your heart to a new narrative, a new memory in the making. Allow others, and yourself, to become the people we were meant to become.

Here’s another thought, many of the folks around us are experiencing tough economic times which can teach us great truths. They give us opportunity to reflect on our values and what’s most important in life. One columnist observed that tough times raise important “questions about our … priorities; our habits of the heart; our measures of success; the values of our families and our children; our spiritual well-being; and the ultimate goals and purposes of life — including our economic life. ... We don’t want to miss the opportunity to rediscover our values.” (Jim Wallis, “Good News about a Bad Economy,” AARP Bulletin Today, Mar. 1, 2010)

It may seem unusual to call economic hardship an opportunity, but many people are finding that it’s true. They’re learning that while financial security doesn’t seem that secure, certain moral values are. One man who struggled to find employment said, “I’ve learned . . . who I can count on and how much I love my family; I’ve learned to live more modestly, that integrity and honesty matter, that when everything seems dark, there’s always hope.” 

Times of financial difficulty remind us of the value of thrift, or the ability to be frugal and live within our means. When we’re feeling the effects of someone’s dishonesty, we see more clearly the importance of integrity, or the alignment of our beliefs with our actions. When the outlook seems bleak, that’s a good time to rediscover hope, to believe that things will get better.

Timeless values like these don’t go out of fashion or change with the shifting winds and changing fads of the season. Like giant granite boulders, they stand strong and true in all generations, places, and circumstances. But sometimes we don’t recognize their importance until we have to rely on their strength.

Tough times come and go much like the rising and setting of the sun, but these timeless values do not. They keep us steady and hopeful. Now might be a good time to seriously consider again, to discover anew, the values that stand the test of time. Don’t miss this opportunity to rediscover what matters most.

Southern Standard contributor Cordell Crawford can be contacted at crawfordcordell@yahoo.com