Does anybody really know what time it is
Does anybody really care
If so I can’t imagine why
We’ve all got time enough to cry

– Chicago

Today was my first day keeping tabs on the time since we ended Daylight Savings time over the weekend. Every time I looked at a clock or my watch, I didn’t know if it was set correctly or not. Every. Stinking. Time.

My car is set ten minutes fast so that I get places on time. (Yes I know that I know I’ve set it ahead– it still helps.)

My alarm clock sets itself automatically once I sync my phone to it. It’s so smart!

My phone is always correct, assuming that I remember to charge it.

But the piece of jewelry I wear on my wrist… who knows? The ‘extra’ clock in my office? probably not. So I spent today checking the time on my phone, and then setting (or confirming) the time on the regular timepiece. It got a little comical when someone asked me the time and I pulled out my phone.

“My kids do that all the time,” she said. “It drives me crazy!”

I nodded. “Yeah, mine do it as well. But it just so happens that today, I don’t know if my watch is right or not. But I know my phone is!”

Sometimes when I walk into a room and see my patients, they have no idea what day it is, or even the time of day… Is it after lunch or before breakfast? It is Tuesday or Friday? And who is this friendly visitor, any way?

On a day full of appointments, meetings and tasks, I moved from one to the next. Time flew. And I kept wondering, “what time is it?”

I was reminded today of one of my overseas experiences that taught me about our modern obsessions with the clock. My host country called it “tick-tick time” — we Westerners were so caught up in what the clock said. They, on the other hand, were more interested in the events and people around them. Time itself was not important in the grand scheme of things.

On a day like today, when I never knew the time (until I looked at my phone) I realized how much healthier that is.

Tempus fugit said Mrs. Shinn from The Music Man.

She was so right.