Watch Out For Face Time
Mark MacDonald is a busy guy, and he always has been. Although he is now retired he lives a life where is often giving his time to one cause or another just as he did in his earlier years, and as we all know time is precious, it’s limited and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
Born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario, Mark’s working life was given to public service, serving and building that same community as a firefighter and a councilor. After 25 years a firefighter Mark followed his lifelong passion for democracy and ran elected office himself resulting in 10 years of service as a councilor for the City of Cornwall and one shot running for Mayor. During his time in council Mark took a special interest in social issues that are often overlooked; parks and recreation, social housing and seniors seeing a need and an opportunity to make a positive impact in each cause.
After retiring for a second time one might think it was time for Mark to quite justifiably put his feet up. But no, not Mark. Having time on his hands meant he had time to give and he immersed himself in a range of volunteer activities following on from the work he did as a councilor with seniors. And as Canada’s population ages Mark has found much demand for his services as a musician hosting sing-a-longs for seniors groups. Whether he is performing at a seniors’ home or for 424 Wing, Royal Canadian Air Force Association, where he is 1st Vice President, Mark puts on quite a show. With a repertoire of old time music including waltzes, spiritual pieces and sing-a-long songs including old favourites such as You Are My Sunshine and Que Sera Sera and a range of instruments including the fiddle, the mandolin, the ukulele, the guitar, the accordion and the concertina the shows are always well received.
And as a man with demands on his time, Mark, like you and I frequently has to be in a given place at a given time. As a result we often find ourselves checking the time. We’re looking at the clock on the wall or the clock in the car. Maybe it’s the clock in the corner of the computer screen or perhaps it’s the watch on our wrist. But whichever it is, as we go through our day we’re continually looking at the time to make sure that we make it to this appointment or that appointment. That we hit that deadline or that pick the kids up. Is it time for lunch? What time is my bus? Do I have time to grab a coffee? So much so that we even look at our watch out of habit, turning our wrist and glancing at the time even when we don’t necessarily need to know the time. Now what if we had something better to look at than the time for those occasions when we can be more relaxed and our lives are not governed by a schedule. Well Mark has something just like that.
Some time back, Mark dropped his watch, and it broke beyond the point that it could be repaired. As it hit the ground the entire mechanism fell out leaving just the strap, the case and the glass. But rather than discard what was left Mark had an idea, so instead he put a picture in place of the dial. So now, at the times when time is less important, such as when he is at a sing-a-long, or on vacation as he looks at his ‘watch’ he isn’t faced with the minutes ticking away, but he is greeted by the smiling face of a family member or a piece of his one of grand children’s artwork. He isn’t looking at a device that governs him, he’s looking at a picture that pleases him.
Rather than miss appointments and fall behind in his schedule while wearing his ‘watch out’, as he calls it, he gets to enjoy his day being continually reminded of those that are special to him. After all, as Mark says, ‘I eat when I’m hungry and I sleep when I’m tired.’ And there is a lesson for all of us here. It’s while it is often important for us to be at a given place at a given time, it is also important for us to step back, to give ourselves time and to think about those that are special to us and who bring happiness to our lives. What we all need to do is to Watch Out for some Face Time.
