No concept of time

Re-setting my clocks for Daylight Savings Time recently reminded me of just how many clocks I have in my house.

I have clocks on my stove, my microwave oven, my coffee-maker, my phone, the television, my computer, in my car and even on my wrist.  Some of them re-set automatically.  Some of them require finding out just how to re-set them.  But, they all have one thing in common – – they’re all digital.

They may tell me the time, but they give me absolutely no concept of time.

When I look at a non-digital clock, the first thing I notice is that it is round and is divided into pieces, 12 pieces to be exact.  These are then divided into quarters.   I can glance at a non-digital clock and know instantly just how much time I have before I have to be someplace.   I don’t even need numbers on the dial.

With a digital time-piece I always know what time it is.   But, I have no concept of just what that means.  With the old-fashioned clock, I know how much time I have and a concept of how much time is remaining.   A digital clock will show 2:45.  But, you can’t read it.

You can look at a non-digital clock and tell it’s a quarter to three.  You not only know what time it is, but you also know how much time you have left.

I’m certain the fact that I am of a certain age makes my dependence on digital time a little uneasy.  I’m also certain that the generation growing up with digital will adjust and be comfortable with knowing the time. They will also develop their own sense of time.

Still there’s something missing. It may be 3:15, but to me its always a quarter after three.