Growing up, we had one clock in the kitchen. Adults had wrist watches.

This past Sunday, it was Spring Forward, or daylight savings time here in Ohio. I checked our radio controlled clocks. Then, as I manually started to change the others, it hit me: I’m surrounded by clocks. A wall clock in the kitchen, a clock in the living room, a clock in each of our offices, two alarm clocks (his and hers) in our bedroom, clocks in each bathroom, then of course the ones built-in to the microwave, stove, computer, iPhone, car dashboard…

What does being surrounded by reminders of time do to us?…time passing; time lost (hurry! going to be late); time to be utilized (guess I can squeeze in one more thing before the next appointment).

Does the constant reminder create a subtle urgency; a need to “get on with it already!” What ever it is?

There’s evidence that losing the hour with daylight savings time negatively affects our health, disrupts our sleep and results in more accidents. But I’m beginning to feel that the whole emphasis on time is even more insidious. It pulls us away from our direct, sensuous, enjoyment and experience of life. Our attention instead is constantly pulled outward to the next thing to be done.

So I ask myself, “What clocks could I live without?” Maybe I’ll start small. Today, the bathroom clock is going to the basement.