An October Sunday Thought About These Precious Days

What? It's October already? I get that it's Sunday. But October?

Well, that was a rather quick September. The world has a way of rushing things along, doesn't it? Except for those mostly-behind-us Pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, most years do slip by in a flash. 

(Odd thing about 2020 and 2021 - at least for me - was that they decidedly did not forge ahead as the years before and this year since. I don't know why that was. But it was. I've never seen anyone remark about this. Maybe it's just me.)

But here we are back in the lightening-fast years that mark our time on this earth, especially as we get older. Why lightening fast as we get older? Again, I've never seen a theory proposed that explains this from a "scientific" perspective that I could readily understand; so I came up with my own. Here goes:

When we're, let's say, 5, our entire life consists of 5 years. So you take the ratio of a day over 5 and you get a number. Here's let's do the math:

A year is 20% of your entire life. Compare it to, let's say, when you're 80. When you're 80, that same 1 year is a mere 1.25% of your entire life. Small in comparison, no? You can do the same with weeks or days, but the math gets awkward. So let's stick with years.

As we get older each year holds a smaller place in the span of our whole life to that point. Our mind is chock full of years and years of memories of that ever-growing past. So in some unconscious manner, this current year "feels" much shorter than the years did when we were kids. 

Maybe not scientific in the strict sense, but that's my shot at explaining why the years - and within them the months, weeks, and days - fly be much quicker as get older.

If you don't buy my theory, try these line from the great American standard song, "September Song":

Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
One hasn't got time for the waiting game

Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
September, November
And these few precious days I'll spend with you
These precious days I'll spend with you

Kurt Weill wrote the haunting melody. The lyrics are by Maxwell Anderson. It's always been a favorite of mine, even when I was much younger. The melody is simple but beautiful - a characteristic of the Kurt Weill songs with which I'm familiar. As for the lyrics, I suspected when I was younger that the lyrics would impact my emotions in a more meaningful way as I aged. And so they have. 

Precious days indeed.

So now that it's October, we're in those precious few days. Depending on how old you are, this might simply mean precious few days left in 2022. Or it may mean something altogether more daunting. You get the point, right?

I had a conversation with an older loved one recently who spoke of the shortness of time left in this life for him. It was a bit startling but not at all unpleasant. I forget the exact words he used to describe the limit to his life that he saw and felt. But his words indicated that he could both see and feel what the future held for him.

And what is that? It's the same as the future holds for each and everyone one of us: death. 

Sorry to be so blunt, but there it is.

Now, for us Catholics this should by not means jar or upset us. We're taught (or should have been taught) that it's wise to meditate on the Big Four, i.e., the Four Last Things. from time to time: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell. Of course, don't be surprised if this is the first time you're seeing this. As with so much else of the deep and broad wisdom Holy Mother Church has passed down to us from the first days after the Ascension of Our Lord, this teaching has been shunted aside. Why? I don't know. Maybe it's part of the unfortunate "Catholic Lite" (easily devolving into "totally-not-Catholic") that our illustrious shepherds have been pandering since Vatican II closed shop and set loose that "Spirit of Vatican II" that's gutted much of our tradition.

Oh well.

So if Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell haven't been on your list of things to meditate on, consider adding them. Consider not only adding them, but maybe putting them close to or on top of your list. They will serve you well, especially if you do indeed meditate on them on a regular basis. 

No, it doesn't have to be a constant thing. Perhaps once a year, perhaps more. Definitely not once a decade, though.

Why this 17th Sunday after Pentecost/1st Sunday of October generated all these thoughts and emotions, I have no idea. But they did. 

Maybe it's just time for another round of meditation on the Four Last Things.

 

Happy Sunday!