{"id":22686,"date":"2024-03-25T17:10:58","date_gmt":"2024-03-25T22:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=22686"},"modified":"2024-03-25T17:10:58","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T22:10:58","slug":"time-passes-slowly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=22686","title":{"rendered":"Time Passes Slowly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While Spousal Unit and I were on a T<\/strong>hree I<\/strong>nitial C<\/strong>ompany (TIC) business trip to Taiwan, we took an enchanting trip across the country’s interior that included Taroko Gorge<\/strong>, Sun Moon Lake<\/strong>, and the hillside fruit orchards amidst the central mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas or alternatively \u00a9 CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After all those years, I remember the song that became fixed in my mind during our trip: Judy Collins singing Bob Dylan’s “Time Passes Slowly.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was in direct contrast to the nightmare at TIC – 60\/70 hour work weeks, bitter co-workers, toxic executives, dubious corporate interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why couldn’t the world be as simple as Dylan describes? Why can’t we be satisfied with simple pleasures, simple possessions, simple gifts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time Passes Slowly<\/strong>\r\nby Bob Dylan\r\n\r\nTime passes slowly up here in the mountains\nWe sit beside bridges and walk beside fountains\nCatch the wild fishes that float through the stream\nTime passes slowly when you\u2019re lost in a dream\n\r\nOnce I had a sweetheart, she was fine and good-lookin\u2019\nWe sat in her kitchen while her mama was cookin\u2019\nStared out the window to the stars high above\nTime passes slowly when you\u2019re searchin\u2019 for love\n\r\nAin\u2019t no reason to go in a wagon to town\nAin\u2019t no reason to go to the fair\nAin\u2019t no reason to go up, ain\u2019t no reason to go down\nAin\u2019t no reason to go anywhere\n\r\nTime passes slowly up here in the daylight\nWe stare straight ahead and try so hard to stay right\nLike the red rose of summer that blooms in the day\nTime passes slowly and fades away<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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But there are other, less pastoral interpretations of this song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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“Time Passes Slowly”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is another deceptively simple song where Dylan appears to sing the praises of stability and stasis. There is some sense with lyrics like ‘ain’t no reason to go anywhere’ and ‘time passes slowly and fades away’ that maybe Dylan is not as satisfied with inaction as he appears on the surface.
\"\"<\/p>\nWikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
David Weir<\/a><\/strong> consistently has insightful, though-provoking commentaries on Dylan’s lyrics. His thoughts on “Time Passes Slowly”<\/strong> is a rather dark interpretation. Although his analysis is well thought out, I disagree with the intensity. I agree with the sense of disquiet when leading an artificially simple life – a sense of restlessness, boredom, and shirking of responsibilities, but surely nothing apocalyptic. Use it as a time of reflection before getting back into the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The song is about the effects of wasting one\u2019s life. The reason time passes slowly is that too little is done. Neither bridges nor fountains have their potential exploited. Bridges are not crossed, in the sense perhaps of being used to resolve differences. And fountains \u2013 presumably a symbol of spiritual cleansing \u2013 are walked beside, but not washed in. The inactivity continues in the second verse where the couple sit and stare while the mother alone is active in cooking. In the final verse there is even less activity \u2013 the couple \u2018stare straight ahead\u2019 and \u2018try \u2026 to stay right\u2019. Furthermore the staring has become less aspirational \u2013 from having the stars (heaven or salvation) as a focus, to merely staring ahead at nothing in particular. The suggestion is that indolence breeds indolence…….<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That the narrator\u2019s indolence is misguided from a religious perspective becomes apparent not only from the value represented by the stars, but by the mention of \u2018fishes\u2019. This form of the plural has a biblical ring and suggests ordinary people in need of salvation (cf. Matt. 4.19). However the couple do not save people when metaphorically they catch the fish; it\u2019s too late \u2013 the fish are already dead (live fish don\u2019t float). Just as the dead fish float through the stream, so the people they represent (like the narrator) float through life. The cost of inactivity \u2013 the narrator\u2019s and these people\u2019s \u2013 is the loss of salvation.<\/p>\nDavid Weir<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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There is so little that is absolutely required of us – death and taxes, maintaining our corporal existence, etc. Some level of hygiene is recommended but not absolutely necessary. Not being a jerk is a good thing, but again not required. So, what do we do with all this time we have on our hands?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Catholic Church has some suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The [Corporal <\/strong>works of mercy] include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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  1. To feed the hungry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. To give water to the thirsty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. To clothe the naked.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. To shelter the homeless.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. To visit the sick.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. To bury the dead.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    The [Spiritual <\/strong>works of mercy] include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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    1. To instruct the ignorant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. To counsel the doubtful.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. To admonish the sinners.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. To bear patiently those who wrong us.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. To forgive offenses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. To comfort the afflicted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. To pray for the living and the dead.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nWikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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      Judy Collins Sings “Time Passes Slowly”<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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