Enfield, 1932

I bought a second-hand clock a few years ago; it was going cheap as a certain mechanical part was missing. While it still worked, its ticking was too quick and therefore rendered it useless as a timepiece. The seller advised me to "find an old man who likes tinkering”. This month, such a gentleman was identified and he duly fixed it. My 1932 Enfield Clock with Westminster Chime now works a treat, striking each quarter-hour, half-hour and on the hour. I thought this repeated chiming would drive me mad, but I can barely hear it from my bedchamber and I rather like the sound during the day.

The disadvantage of this musical routine of chimes is the speed with which I perceive time’s passage. “Fifteen minutes have gone already?”, I ask, detouring back to my study to check if the clock is running fast again. Although it does seem to lose a few minutes each day, my clock-fixing friend assures me that this can be remedied by means of a little weight on the pendulum. This still leaves me with the greater problem: time’s onward march - or is it now a jog?

Part of the wisdom that comes with age is an increased realisation that our time on earth is short: the pendulum swings, the hands move, the chimes sound and the minutes pass. One day, the ticker will cease and all shall be silent and still. We Christians have the wonderful hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ, but one wonders if we have used well the few hours on earth which God's good providence allocated...

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. Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

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