Well the New Year is well and truly over … and that bright spark moment of celebration too … and days flow on relentlessly … like the waves in the sea as in this sonnet by Shakespeare …

 Sonnet 60 

Like as the waves make towards the pebbl'd shore,
So do our minutes hasten to their end;
Each changing place with that which goes before,
In sequent toil all forwards do contend.

Nativity, once in the main of light,
Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crown'd,
Crooked eclipses 'gainst his glory fight,
And Time that gave doth now his gift confound.

Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth
And delves the parallels in beauty's brow,
Feeds on the rarities of nature's truth,
And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow:

And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand,
Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand.

…. the sea quite an appropriate metaphor for time as one minute flows to the next … in contrast to the discrete increments in measurement as we look at our watch … the resultant efect on life flows on in similar manner from moment to moment whether a raging bushfire or winning at point in the Australian Open

… this sonnet is a sad lament at what time does from being an initial gift and providing joy in youth to destroying facial beauty by the lines in the brow due to age defined as parallels in the third stanza

… I always associate the word nativity with Christ’s birth, but of course it refers to being born and experiencing light … if the crooked eclipses are our eyes then it is quite so that they do lose appreciation of beauty with age … especially in the days of Shakespeare when glasses were not prevalent

… appaprently it was written in connection of a young aquaintance of Shakespeare so that the person concerned will forever be remembered as a worthy sole due to the poetic immortality of the last line … assuming these words from Shakespeare will live forever … and lets face it Shakespeare is now spread wide across the world due to the internet … and I guess by this Post I have added to that fact

… I will make a positive comment … joy can be found in every stage of life … with suitable adjustment in how this is facilitated as we age … and regarding time … we are a gift with a use-by date … it is up to us to unpack this gift and make best use … and of course thanks for reading my words LOL