A Shackle of Time

I have once again began wearing a wrist watch.

I briefly wore a watch a few years ago but not for a very extended period of time. In fact in retrospect I have owned three or four watches and have never really become someone who wears one at all times. Recently however, I became obliged to find an alternative method from my phone for checking the time. So once again I have taken to wearing a watch and this time it is becoming clear why I do not like them.

For a start, the watch I own is hideous. It is a lump of brown and silver hastily thrown together and wrapped around my wrist. It is also a heavy lump of brown and silver that constantly weighs me down and reminds me of its presence. The third sense that it offends is my sense of hearing. The loud tick of this malevolent device rings out in my ears whenever there is quiet around me.

All of these things seem quite small and petty. But in actuality they are more than mere annoyances. I had no problem checking the time on my phone because my phone was not a dedicated timepiece. The fact that it told the time was a useful application of my phone, not its sole purpose. A watch on the other hand is a constant reminder of time and life slipping away. It is a shackle that imposes human measurements on existence and does not let you escape the inevitable implications of passing time.

I doubt I will ever be able to comfortably wear this shackle.

-The English Student