The Longer, and Longing of a certain Sun--day

             The longer and longing of a certain Sun-day.

“Mike we sure are having a good time today and although the days are getting longer, it often seems the fun is getting shorter.” Paul said to Mike as they were enjoying the sun above them. Paul then responded “It does seem that way but when we have fun, under the sun, we don’t usually seem to be on the run, and we leave our work behind us as done.” Carol then approached the boys and with a concerned look she said “ I can see Paul that your ability to make words rhyme has developed and Mike you certainly have been able to put aside your work duties. Ann then joined the three and commented on how lively all of them were during this day. The rest of the group then walked near them and enjoy the festivities, looking up at the sun from time to time.

        It was now four in the afternoon but others began to feel that they have experienced a day’s activities that surpassed the five six hours that they were together. However, as a group they realized this was probably another one of their unusual notions they have had before. Several members of the group had often stated that, “As individuals we usually have a good sense of what is going around them and how long these things often take, but as a group there are times when they feel they have been involved a little longer than what each had thought.” The participants today usually worked together, but often not all at the same time and in the same room, but they had a good idea of the duration of time that one had been with another. Once in a while one of them would gaze up at the sky or at the sun and attempt to ascertain how long they were together and if the day really has gone by as it usually does.

        Rick approached a few of the group from the ball court where he often stays, and greets them with a smile, which he not so often does. This does not mean that he is often ill-mannered, but usually when one plays ball in the court or comes up to the surface in the pool, a person has not always showed progress. This was true for most of the group members but Diane would often placate them by giving them kind words and indicating that although the days seem to fly by, the time was well spent. Joe would occasionally look at the sun and have a strong idea that there was often not enough hours in the day for self improvement, and that the sun seemed to light up the sky for a shorter period than was needed during the day. Nick would also wonder about this perception and on this day, he came scurrying in, not with a tense look, but with a more tranquil appearance and said “Usually Nick I am somewhat fretful on how the days seem to end quickly and the sun does not appear to give us ample time, and then you Nick intervene with your philosophy on how there is seems to be not enough hours in a day, a slightly shortening of sensible sentiment of sun, you call it.” Nick then walked near Joe to agree, rather quickly and contently with Joe, which is a bit out of character for Nick and then he commented on Joe’s recollection of his use of alliteration, but not with the usual tension. Diane then came over and let the two know that she too has noticed a different type of behavior, which resembled a feeling of a longer day where one can reflect on his or her behavior without needing to be abrupt. Diane did not need to make her usual comment about the short days on this day.

        Suddenly the sun began to fall and the team seemed to notice that it was 6:15 pm which would indicate the usual time but today, for some reason, it seemed like much more time went by. A few recognized traits about themselves on how they were usually constrained by time and felt that there was more time on their hands today than before. Nick then approached someone that he usually has some hesitancy with and confided about how he had noticed some of his abilities and the other person returned with a similar comment on how he had seen Nick and a few others in a clear light. Paul then returned to Mike on how today there appeared to be a longer time duration for them to get to know each other, which both had thought might not develop into something beneficial, but today both had a more accepting nature. Carol then approached Tim as was coming back from the ball pack and spoke to him “Ordinarily I say a few words to you about your quick wit and pretentious play in the field but I must say, today I seemed to have had more time to observe and take notice of your style and it is not that bad. Tim then responded “It is nice of you to notice given your reserved way of giving out compliments but if I think you are giving me the time of day, as the expression goes, I am.” Before Tim could finish, both nodded their head ‘No”. Ann then approached from where she was involved with crafts and proclaimed a thankful feeling and commented on the bonding of Tim and Carol. However, Ann knew that this afternoon, there seemed to be more time to really give them a chanced and as she looked up, she saw Ron looking. Ron then walked slowly and said “An ordinarily you would be finished up your crafts and telling me how to finish up my un-completed tasks and tell me to get on with what I have to say as time grows shorter, but I don’t think you will do that today.” Ann knew that Ron wasn’t hinting on anything else but she recognized that this afternoon, now 6:30 pm was not getting much shorter by their standards and she graciously allowed Ron to complete his statement.

        The time now seemed to last several times longer than a half hour when the members now believed it was 7 o’clock. However, a few noticed several things such as how long they were involved in a conversation with one or two others and how much they believed they had learned from the other person in such a short period of time. Naturally there were several who believed at first that this was not due to the slowness of time and the fact that the day was not really becoming shorter as they normally see it. Susan and Nick had conversed about the nature of the activities and the crafts and about each other and each commented on how this day there was enough time to find out more about the other person than in past days. Diane then approached from where the sun appeared to be setting and commented “It looks like you two are another group where you not only noticed that this day has given then much more time than it usually does, but that they really don’t mind this extra time with a person who they usually want a limited period of time.” Diane then walked over to Joe, Mike, and Paul and had made a similar comment about their conversation and the fact that despite that the day did not get shorter the way it usually does, but they had developed a tolerance of one another. Bill then came toward them and then had agreed with what Diane had said and further commented on how usually he was treated as the third wheel, but today, he was considered more of a component of the group. Carol then arrived as all this was going on and she slowly walked toward them, grinned, and then said “ I can see that all is going well at this end too, just like my interaction with Carol, where we often have more of a debate than a conversation, and if this is not odd enough, I even got to know Tim a bit more and we did not turn from each other and walk away like we usually do as the sun sets.” Ron who was usually on the receiving end of commentary and final instructions then slowly made his way toward this group and calmly said “I know from what you speak and I too have been afforded an opportunity for more self assertion and others were receptive to what I believed on how the day was going. I don’t know how long the day is going to be or if we really had more time, but as the clock approaches 7:15 pm, I shall give you time of day, as a knight.”

        The group after making all their observations and their keen perceptions of time, where this day appeared to be quite a bit longer than any of the rest, realized that it was time to depart. Each noticed that the groups now began to assemble and reunite into a content collection where they complimented, listened, and thanked each other for the fun, divergent opinions, different attitudes, and dispersed talents that each had and then they all looked up at the sun. Diane then motioned all the crew members to follow her to the end of the field where they were led to the lot and the buses that would transport them. The sun now began to set and others looked at their watches and assessed what had occurred during the course of this particular day, a day that for all concerned did not seem to get any shorter as fast as any other day, however, it was a day they all longed for to happen. As 7:20 approached several made comments on how this might be just a faulty perception or an illusion or something in between, and then Mike stated “ I know I usually have an uncomfortable way of trying to finish my duties and feel our fun is getting shorter for the day. However, I am content to be involved in the day’s festivities and we certainly had more fun than we bargained for the time we had.” Several others then made comments on how Mike’s statement should clearly indicate that this was a day to be remembered and this day only appeared to be much longer, the feeling of friendship and admiration and respectful tolerance, was a real thing, indeed.