I know that time is too broad a topic to write about. Few have ever done it justice. I want to be in their number, so I’m going to give this topic a go. All day I’ve been thinking about the content of this dispatch, so here goes.

Yesterday afternoon, during anatomy and physiology lecture, I told my friend Cooper that right now I don’t have a moment to spare (this was in the context of having time to study) to which he said that there is always time available to get done what one wants or needs to get done.

A few months ago, I would have agreed with him. But I do not believe him now. I have come to realize that at certain times in some people’s lives, there is not time to do all of what one wants to/needs to do. This is that time in my life. For instance, I can look out my study window and see two downed trees. The rounds, which have been neatly chain sawed by Pete, look like Tootsie Roll sections. I need to get out and put them on the sled, and take them down to the driveway so that Pete can load them on the tractor and take them up to the woodshed where we will use the splitter and split them. I also need to clean the outside of the goat pen, and also clean out the tack room and trailer. And I have this great desire to clean the cupboards and move the empty canning jars into the Black Hole cabin.

The question is, when is all this going to happen? Not right away—not unless something else in my schedule gives. The things that are keeping me from acting on the necessary tasks are as follows – internal martial arts training, five days a week, 1 ½ to two hours a day, Feldenkrais class, one hour, one day a week, Anatomy and Physiology class, two days a week, four hours, riding instruction, one day a week, six hours. And of course, the horses, goats, chickens, and dogs all need varying degrees of care.

I’ve taken to taking things one day at a time, doing each task in a very focused manner – as if that which I’m doing is right then the most important thing in the world. I’m not giving up on doing any of what I’m currently doing. What I’ve come to realize is that time is like water – it rushes into empty spaces. The empty spaces are the tasks at hand or the lack thereof. For instance, in the past few weeks there have been no Feldenkrais classes. So I’ve instead used the time to study anatomy and do more riding. And the week after next is spring break, so there will be no A and P classes. I’ll then work on my paper on breathing, move tree rounds, and get in more riding time.

Today Jay and Jen cancelled our writing group meeting, so I instead did agility with Raudi, this after a few hours out on the trail.

This is how it works – water flows into the new and old spaces.

I’d give up the near daily martial arts training because it takes up more time than anything else. But ironically it is what has enabled me to remain on an even keel in doing so much.

I don’t see myself as being less busy in the near future. When school is over, we’ll head down to America and pick up Tyra. We’ll return and put the garden in. In June I’ll head to the east coast. And in the beginning of July I’ll put on the Centered Riding clinic. And the CTR is going to take place at the end of July.

So time-wise things are going to remain the way they are. Breathing room, I could use a little more of it.

Next: 60. 3/2/16: A Conversation with Ranger and Rover