Time Discipline

   Shakespeare said "Time is the Justice, that examines all offenders". For many long years in my young adult life, Time or the lack of it was paid no attention by me. I did not follow time or the effects and consequences I had because of it. I remember on a few occasions, in my young law enforcement career, as a Patrolman, where I was reprimanded and suspended for my lack of planning. Over the years I developed a profound, regimental respect for Time and the passing of it. I could tell you the time of day my daughter was born, the time of day when I was promoted to Detective and almost to the minute on August 11, 2010 at approximately 2100 hours, when I wrote this poem for the wonderful, loving and gorgeous woman who is now my fiancé;

When She Laughs

I read in Proverbs that "A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than a steak with someone you hate".

And it brings it all full circle and reminds me that I am a captain of my own burdens but an the mercy of fate

I see how the planets line up and I'm behind the heavens trying to catch a glimpse of this angelic light

I feel her warmth on my face and soul, and I know that my good days will lead me to her gracious nights

I am humbled in the presence of the idea that we have conquered all the past misery that weighed us down

And I am enlightened that when she laughs...the heavens themselves and God's grace couldn't turn it to frowns

I hear her whisper as sleep drags her eyes, and I know that this life has never meant more than it does in dreams

I wake and think of only two, my soul Riley Beth and silly laughs of youth and my sweet Amanda and her radiant eyes of 1000 queens

If this is what I have been looking for , I am so glad that the red seas have parted and pointed the way to our drained swamps and depots

Of far away sister homes that have forged this thing since birth and gave us the grace to hold those dreams and never let go

If I could put it into prettier words I would...but there is no such language to describe the passion in my heart for you,

No such paper that could hold the weight of the gallons of ink I'd pen trying to discover and explain how feelings could be this true

Sitting alone and crawling this floor, is worth every second of anxious envy that I bear waiting till the times that the mercury melts

And the lithium burns brighter than those eyes, which appear to have been stolen straight from the nighttime diamonds of Orion's belt

The world steps aside and all that is left is whatever she desires

And for the touch of her, I'd set this place into 1,000 empty fires

- The Thousandth Man

   The point is that Time is the frame for the things that we will remember after the sand runs through our glass. This measuring of seconds and days is the entire format for our lives. There are usually two dates on a headstone, the date of birth and the date of death. If one was to keep a detailed log of all the important and life altering events in their period of life, they could have a headstone as large as the Grand Canyon. After all, what is more important at the end of a man's life? The time he was born, or the time he knew that he was going to marry a woman, or when he discovered that he was a father. I think the overall lack of concern for time I have observed lately is that men, generally think they do not have enough of it. I have witnessed that there is always time for what is important; it is a matter of prioritizing the time dedicated to the other moments.

   On Christmas Eve of 2011, my fiancé gifted me a Citizen Eco Drive wristwatch. This is by far the most elaborate, expensive and definitely meaningful gift I have ever received. The monetary value of this gift bears, no emphasis. The principle I adore most about this gift is that it allows me with accurate detail, to document the times of our events together and the times of sublime nothingness. The idea of being able to pay attention or not to the time, but always knowing that Time is literally at hand, leaves me with a disciplined comfort. What I would hope the reader ascertains from this writing, is that Time is yours, respect it because you cannot get it back. Just know that should the need arise you can bend time to meet your needs.