Time after Time

I am thinking about time today. In particular, I'm thinking about whether or not I live by Mr. Keating's famous recollection of Carpe' Diem from Dead Poet's Society. Even though I try to embrace everyday to suck the marrow out of life, I wonder if such an approach keeps me from missing out on other lives I might lead.

Thirty seven years have seen my left foot move before the right food. I've been around the world, appreciated a teaching life, met several challenges, approached a life of learning with zest, read many books, written many words, ran abundant miles and walked even more. I tip toe through the roses and stop to smell the daffodils. I seek new experiences at every chance I get. But I wonder, does this get in the way of living the best life? While I do this, do I miss out on that?

I began thinking about this yesterday while pulling in an eighteen inches bass on Oneida Lake. I love being on water and feel totally centered floating along the tide with a fishing pole in my hand. Yet I wonder, if I took different roads, might I already have a home on a lake and a motor boat of my own? Will the choices I've made within the dropping hour glass sands actually be counterproductive to accomplishing what I've set out to do?

I haven't a clue, but this is the way my quirky mind works. Like the sands in the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.. How do we ever know we've made the right choices as we sojourn through one lifetime?