Time Stood Still

Time marches forward at a seemingly breakneck pace in today’s fast paced world. Occasionally there are moments of grace that happen upon us causing time to stand still in our mind's eye. That kind of grace usually happens for just a fleeting moment and only when we have learned to recognize it can we receive its blessing. A child's first word, or step. An engaging conversation with an elderly person who has fascinating tales of been there done that. Running across an old friend and getting re-acquainted. Viewing photographs from days long gone of loved ones who have passed on. Experiencing a cool gentle breeze on a hot summer day with a cold glass of lemonade on a lazy hazy Sunday afternoon. I'm now thinking of those wonderful old country time lemonade commercials. Bet you were too! I can lose track of time riding my motorcycle for miles on in or reading an engaging book in the course of an afternoon. Sharing a night out on the town enjoying a good meal with family and friends, suddenly glancing at your watch you ask yourself, gosh where did the time go? Perhaps during some well-earned “me” time for some relaxation, solitude and self-reflection. That ends up with us embarking on a journey called day dreaming that I must insist is not always a total waste of time. I prefer to think of these cerebral journey's as "positive procrastination" that lead many people to a myriad of opportunities both personally and professionally.

We all know time really does march forward and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. But I enjoy those moments of grace when they appear and I would like to share one with you. I was riding my motorcycle on a day trip, and while coming through Mt Airy, NC I decided to stop once again to see that timeless statue of Andy and Opie... hand in hand on their way to do some fishing. I became mesmerized when I looked upon it and was reminded of the beautiful simplicity and the purity of the story lines. Of being enamored by a unique cast of characters from that captivating television show we all know and love that truly is one of the pinnacle's of Americana. Then it happened... I got lost in my memories thinking back all those years ago when my father took my cousin and I fishing countless times when we were boys. I recalled all the fun and laughter we experienced in our youth and all the stories we've told years since. Our unhindered imaginations being captivated by bond fires and the never ending adventures of hiking the river banks to our special fishing spots along the Yadkin River in Forsyth County, NC. I smiled and chuckled to myself and was jolted back to reality. I then smiled again, realizing I had just experienced one of those moments of grace and that... TIME STOOD STILL.