https://greatmindsthink9.wordpress.com/2026/06/19/time-master-mistress-friday-challenge/
The Stopwatch
The Stopwatch
The old man at the market pressed the stopwatch into my hand.
“You’ll know when to use it,” he said.
Before I could ask what he meant, he vanished into the crowd.
The watch felt warm.
On the side were three tiny buttons.
Pause.
Slow.
Fast.
I laughed.
Surely it was a novelty.
Then my coffee stopped halfway between cup and lips.
A seagull hung motionless outside the café window.
The world had frozen.
My heart nearly stopped.
Tentatively, I pressed the button again.
Everything moved.
The coffee splashed onto my shirt.
The seagull continued flying.
And just like that, I knew the stopwatch was real.
For weeks I carried it everywhere.
Waiting rooms became easier. A tap of the Fast button and hours disappeared in seconds.
Long hospital appointments vanished.
Traffic jams became a blur.
Boring paperwork passed before I had time to complain.
It felt wonderful.
Then one evening I sat beside my husband while he slept.
The room was quiet except for the steady rhythm of his breathing.
I looked at the stopwatch.
Without thinking, I pressed Slow.
The world softened.
The ticking clock became gentle.
The fading sunlight lingered across the room like liquid gold.
Every breath seemed precious.
Every moment stretched.
For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t thinking about tomorrow’s appointments, medications, worries, or what might happen next.
I was simply there.
Present.
Watching.
Listening.
Loving.
Tears slipped down my cheeks.
How many moments had I rushed through because I was afraid of losing them?
I began using the stopwatch differently after that.
I sped through pain.
I slowed joy.
I paused sunsets over the Atlantic.
I paused when one of my cats curled up beside me.
I paused while listening to music that touched my soul.
I paused during laughter.
Not forever.
Just long enough to notice.
Months later, the old man appeared again.
“You’ve used it wisely,” he said.
I smiled and handed the stopwatch back.
“Aren’t you keeping it?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Because I had learned its secret.
The problem had never been a lack of time.
The problem was forgetting to be present inside it.
The old man nodded knowingly.
As he walked away, I glanced toward the ocean.
The sunset painted the sky in shades of gold and violet.
This time I didn’t need the stopwatch.
I simply stood there and watched.
One beautiful moment at a time.
Thank you Sarah & Rohini Great Minds Think for this weeks prompt.
With love, coffee, poetry, and stardust,
— Maggie The Afterlove Voice 💫
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