My Grandpa and Reminders of Captain Hook

My grandfather has been sick these past few years, sometimes better, sometimes worse. This summer he was in the hospital off and on. At one point he had given his watch and some other personal belongings to my mom so she could keep them safe while he was in the hospital. I found the watch in our house and I wore it for a while - I wanted something of my grandfather's to be close to me. When he got back from the hospital he took the watch back.

I was definitely glad that my grandfather was back home, and I would much rather have him than a watch, but I also wanted something tangible to remember him by when he or I was away. I can get caught up in my own little world pretty easily, and I didn't want to forget my grandpa (or any other family members, it just seemed more important to remember him because he's been sick so often lately).

When I was home most recently, however, my grandpa told me he had a watch just like the one I wore during the summer, and he gave it to me. I love it. It's huge and old and makes me think of my grandpa.
It's so loud. I can always hear it ticking. Sometimes it's very comforting - to know that time is moving at the same pace. It's comforting to know that if things are difficult, they are still moving forward.
Sometimes, though, the ticking nearly drives me insane. I get caught up in the fact that time is passing me by and I forget to accomplish anything. It makes me feel frozen, and like everything is happening around me and I'm going to miss out on something important.
Even though it stresses me out sometimes, I love the constant reminder of time. It encourages me to take advantage of each moment. It reminds me that life is not about accomplishing tasks, it's about taking advantage of opportunities.

Make today worthwhile.
- Scout