Time Change, Time to Change

Today, we (at least those regions in the US who observe DST) “spring forward” and move our clocks ahead an hour. This made me think of the day when the time changed on my Camino. I was apparently the only one who did not get the memo of the change. I had no idea until I was the last one to leave a large municipal albergue. I was unknowingly an hour late and was getting glared at by the workers.

It was only when I was having dinner with some friends at the next albergue did I learn that I had missed it. I had been out of sync with society all day, and had to catch up to the time change. But I was on my own time change, or rather it was my time to change on the Camino.

I often have song lyrics pop into my head based on a word, so as I started typing about time change, the song from the Brady Bunch, “Time to Change” popped into my head. I went online to read the lyrics and realized they're poignant. “And if you want to reach your destiny, then here's what you can do. When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange who you are and what you're gonna be.” This time of change in my life was one of re-arranging my life.

When I am invited to screen “A Way toForgiveness” and speak on how to forgive, I often say how I mark my life in two eras – Pre-Camino and Post-Camino. The 500-mile trek had a deep impact on me at a time when I was going through a number of changes in my life. My world had basically crumbled around me that year – I lost my job in March, was going through a divorce in August, and sold my home in December. It was time to work on rebuilding.

The word “rebuild” triggers my “musical tourettes” and I think of the song “Call and Answer“by Barenaked Ladies. “I think it's getting to the point where I can be myself again.... I think it's the getting to the point that is the hardest part.” The rest of the song is really not one that spoke to my situation. It spoke to what I wanted my situation to be. It is about two people coming back together to rebuild. Someone acknowledging they had erred and returning to make amends. That was not my life. I was going to be rebuilding on my own. But, I still enjoy this song and those few lines speak to me.

So what else can I learn from the time change? Sometimes we gain (an hour), sometimes we lose (an hour). Daylight Saving Time aims to give us more time in the sun, save energy, and may decrease crime rates. If it's time for you to change, you can choose more time outdoors, more energy, and, um, less crime (if I'm continuing the same list I just offered). There are many opponents of DST, just as there are people who oppose others who decide it's time to change.

How about you? Is it time to change? (And a more stirring question, did you hear Peter Brady's cracking voice singing that phrase as you read it?) Can you spring forward to who you want to be instead of falling behind, back to bad habits or bad people? 

Get out of bed, walk your way and make the most of your time change!