Life is Fleeting

Rami Shapiro once wrote a book entitled The Way of Solomon that is a translation of and commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes. In it, he translates a very familiar passage in this way:

Life is fleeting,
The passing of moments upon moments.
Embrace them as they come;
Do not cling to them as they go.
In this alone is there tranquility.
Moments of birth, moments of death;
Moments of planting, moments of uprooting;
Moments of killing, moments of healing;
Moments of knocking down, moments of building up;
Moments of mourning, moments of dancing;
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)

We often remember these verses most familiarly in the following translation:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven;
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
(Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4)

I recently drove to the home of someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. As I drove, I wondered about what all of this earthly life means. What are we doing here? Why is there so little time in which to do whatever it is we are to do? What’s it all about, Alfie?

Along the drive I noticed a middle aged couple. They were walking their dog together. The weather was warm and they were wearing khaki shorts and t-shirts – probably for the first time this spring. It seemed as if they were having a companionable moment. Conversation must have been easy – even if it wasn’t very important. A moment of life – not unlike those moments when someone is cooking dinner, or a baby is crying, or the stoplight turns red, or the laundry is being folded. Moments – lots of them. Some appearing more momentous than others. Some downright dull. I don’t know how you might choose to spend your moments if you had your life to live over. As for me, I would spend them with the people I love – paying attention to them – even when they annoy me, even when they are difficult.

Moments and the passing of moments – that is life.

The Rev. Deacon Kitty Davis serves as deacon to St. James Episcopal Church. Kitty is also a therapist and is a native Wilmingtonian. She and her husband enjoy life on the waterfront, life with dogs, parenthood and grandparenthood.