Saturday, March 28, 2009

Put your clock back – or is it forward?


There’s been quite a discussion today about whether Daylight Saving ends tonight or not. It matters because I am taking the services tomorrow. We have a calendar that is quite clear that tonight is the night and another that says next Saturday. Canvassed opinions around the parish vary by at least as much.
We’ve got the problem sussed now but it recalls a service I was scheduled to take away from home a couple of years ago.
But with family wedding celebrations the night before I quite forgot about DS and rolled up at the church an hour early. Finally figuring why no one was joining me I drove back to the shopping centre and sat down with an unaccustomed coffee but when it was time to return I found I’d locked the keys in the van. This is also unaccustomed.
I sent off a text message to Bev in case she could come up with something and as I walked briskly in the direction of the church - no doubt being passed by half the congregation who couldn’t be expected to recognise me! - she rolled up in a car she’d commandeered. The service began almost, but not quite on time.
Sure, Bev and I have been away for the last two weeks and, driving ourselves, have been rather relaxed about the clock. But life in a developed society really needs elements of coordination and a common clock makes life easier for us.
And that applies to other constants around which life turns. Tomorrow we rejoin our congregation. Here we will re-set the balance of our internal life and re-align our hopes and plans for the coming week.
And, yes, we will put our clocks back next Saturday.

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