Make Hay While the Sun Shines

My wife is part of a health care agency that deals with patients who need home and hospice care. When we come together at the end of our day to share our ups and downs over dinner and a glass of wine, I often hear sad stories about nameless people who suddenly become stricken with a serious illness at an early age. As can be expected, the diagnosis of a life threatening illness comes as a complete shock to the patient and their families. Most of them had expectations of living a long life and had a future planned with a long list of activities.

I can relate to the stresses that are thrust upon a family coping with a serious illness. My first wife, and mother of my two daughters, struggled with Breast Cancer for 3 years before passing away at the age of 45. I believe she was more fortunate than most others going through similar situations because she had a strong faith that helped her to attribute “meaning” and a “purpose” to her illness.

She was also very goal oriented which allowed her to accomplish many of her life’s objectives at an early age: she was married and had her children when she was still a young woman, enjoyed being a stay-at-home mother for her daughters during their most formative years, took night classes to get a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, traveled to many of the dream destinations that had captured her imagination and spent the last years of her life in a job she loved – teaching children. She made hay while the sun shined.

The first use of the phrase “Make hay while the sun shines” was recorded in a 1546 book of English Tudor proverbs by John Heywood. The phrase appeared in this form:

 “Whan the sunne shinth make hay. Whiche is to say. Take time whan time cometh, lest time steale away.”

This phrase often directs my thinking as I plan my daily activities. I use it to remind myself that the sun will not always be shining for me and that I will experience periods of rain and darkness in my life that will limit what it is possible for me to do. There will come a time when I will not get the chance to do tomorrow what I have put off today; so it is wise for me to make good use of my time and make the most of my opportunities while I have the chance.

“Get up! You’re borrowing time” sings Aimee Mann in the refrain to one of her songs. No one knows when their time will be up, so I find myself being careful about how I spend my time. I realize now more than ever how precious it is and I try to keep busy in ways that will be productive to my mind, body, or spirit.

That is one reason I have a habit of keeping short and long term lists of things that I would like to accomplish. The lists stop me from falling into comfortable and easy habits that do not contribute to my growth and they guide me to focus on the higher quality things in life. I have a finite number of books I can read, music I can listen to, shows I can watch, streams I can fish – I want them to be the best books, music, shows, and streams that life has to offer.

Making hay doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t also take time to smell the roses along the way. Indeed, I find those small moments during the week when I steal time away to appreciate the beauty that can be found all around us is very refreshing to my soul. Much like the smell of freshly mowed hay on a summer day.