“Time is the greatest author. It always writes the perfect ending.” — Charlie Chaplin, Limelight
When Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in “Limelight” in 1952, he could see the end of his career and life coming into view. When I first saw “Limelight” as a teenager, I felt as if Chaplin’s washed-up comedian character was reaching out through time, and into my television, to embolden my adolescent self. The message? Trade my transient drama and restlessness, for eternal patience and truth.
The wisdom from this quote and film have stuck with me, and strengthened me at various times, in large part to time itself.
Why? Time is, indeed, “of The Essence.” It unfolds in perfect order because the author of time is the Author of All — always present, with us and inside us.
Thus, every moment contains the potential for us to experience our greatest moment. Time can not, and does not, ever pass us by.
As such, being patient does not mean being passive. Patience is a byproduct of trust. Being more patient means trusting more often. It is about having the right mindset that all is well, all of the time. No matter what time our “biological clocks” may show, the Divine code that powers our spiritual clocks reminds us so.
When we trust, we empower the trust that God has already shown us, by virtue of our very existence. The first step is to accept that we are not here by cosmic accident. Each of us has a unique purpose and message for being here that we are meant to share with everyone who crosses our path.
This trust leads us to our truth. Discover it, believe it, pursue it, live it, celebrate it. The time is yours. The time is now.
Photo: Robin Maben, Flickr.com