Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Listen to Time


“Enjoy life freely, O Babur, for none enjoy it twice”.
--Babur, King of Kabul


Have you had a similar conversation with yourself like ancient Uzbekistanian Babur had during his life? I sure have, and I, like the king, need to remind myself to enjoy my time.

Also, I think that you can actually hear time when you really listen. You can hear whispers of memory. When you think of someone, can you hear what they sounded like? Is the voice of a person embedded in the brain as well as their physical image? When you look at a picture of lilacs, can’t you hear their rustle as well as smell their scent? I probably would sneeze.
Likewise, when I pet a dog, I feel every dog I have ever stroked. I really can't even control the urge to reach out and pet dogs. It's irresistible. I can smell the dog, the cedar shavings, the living companions of my past. I can see my children with puppies playing around them, sharing the joy of each other. Puppies enjoying children, children enjoying puppies. Hounds trailing game. Snow on the ground. Stiff winter breeze and the smell of December. I need to keep gathering these sensations for as long as I can.

So I am going to go out and continue to add memories, moments and experiences so that time will be captured. Why if a powerful ruler of a nation had to remind himself to enjoy life and not let it slip away, I can do the same.

Hear the voice of old Babur from across the ages.

My duty is to listen or his words would have been recorded in vain.

1 comment:

Scott said...

Babur didn't have to work. I think one would find the smell of roses more sweet if your job wasn't to pick them. As I have said, you think too much, you need to buy "Zen, and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". Much easier on the brain. On that note I think I will take off and go ride my bike.