Time Constraints, Cardboard Boxes and Who Holds the Stopwatch

A giant cardboard box sits outside on my porch exposed to the elements--a light rain yesterday and 28-degree temperatures this morning.  In its glory, the box held a fully-assembled bathroom vanity in java-brown finish with a faux marble top.

But now, the sides of the box are a bit warped. Sagging. The tape used to ship the box no longer sticks and hangs off the top in strips.

It is hard to imagine when looking at the box in the early dawn of this day, that anyone would ever desire to be inside that box.

Outside or Inside the Box?

We live in a culture, after all, that tells us to "think outside the box" or to "move beyond the box" in our creativity and our practices. Those "inside the box" are viewed as constrained by tradition, structure, and out-of-date rules.

Even in circles of faith, we are warned to "not put God in a box." As if that was even possible.

But last week, while watching our grandchildren, the box held adventure and glory. The container was tipped on its side, a window cut out by a grown-up with a sharp knife, and imagination soared.

The two-year-old traveled to distant galaxies with his collection of Star Wars figurines. Sounds of light sabers and blasters could be heard inside the cardboard walls.

The five-year-old explored the mysteries of relationships with her two dolls dressed in holiday attire, while the seven-year-old used the box as a quiet reading sanctuary.

INSIDE the box was the desired place to be.

In fact, we had to set a 30-minute timer when we realized sharing one box with three children was not going to be a positive experience for anyone. It may have been Christmas vacation, but there was no good will toward all men happening in my living room or any semblance of peace on earth.

"When's it my turn?"

"How many more minutes, Grandma?"

"Isn't their time up?"

To those inside the box, time traveled at light speed. To those outside the box, time was a turtle.

You know this is true.

The Constraints of Time

You don't have to be child to wrestle with the constraints of time.  Don't we all plead for more minutes and wonder when it's going to be our turn?

And ultimately, don't we want to grab the stopwatch and be in charge of the ticking?

So this New Year, I pray you are mindful of this gift of time you have been given, and that whether you are inside the box wanting out or outside the box wanting in, you use this gift wisely.

And remember:

There is always time enough in the day to do God’s will. – Roy Lessin, poet and author.

(And trust me on this one, let Him hold the stopwatch.)

ABOUT LYNNE HARTKE

I share stories of courage, beauty, and belonging--belonging to family, to community, and to a loving God.  I am author of Under a Desert Sky: Redefining Hope, Beauty, and Faith in the Hardest Places.I teach the online writing workshop, Reclaim Your Scattered Story: a 6-week Online Writing Workshop for Those Touched by Cancer.  I also teach in-person at Ironwood Cancer and Research Center in Chandler, AZ.