Watch

To go into solitude and wilderness, one needs to retire as much from the ticking of the time watch as from the society. To speak truly, few of us can stay away from the society without taking off the watch. The idea as to how I can learn to appreciate the tranquillity of nature was suggested to me during my "solo" session at the Outward Bound course ten years ago. I kept remembering everything, putting a tent up, seeing the most exquisite sunset of my life alone at a deserted island, and how I went through the twenty-four hours without wearing the timepiece on my wrist.

Peace and jollity. After all these ten years, I seldom give myself the luxury of both.

My habits of city life ensure that not a day goes by without wearing my wristwatch. And this watch – an inexpensive but faithful wristwatch – has become so important to me that it is the first thing I put on in the morning as I step out of bed and the last thing I take off before stepping back into bed at night. I nearly ran into trouble when my watch stopped running (after my pulling out its knob by accident) this morning. I don’t know what to make of this but simply admit to myself that modern man can't live without a watch. Can I?