The Timekeeper

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This novel was in the group I ordered with my Christmas money.  I first read a Mitch Albom novel while I was at university.  Although he is American, I was travelling at the time and picked it up in German.  Tuesdays with Morrie was the first, and I believe only, book that I have read in German that has made me cry.  It was amazing.  However, that's for another review.  I read another of his novels - The Five People You Meet in Heaven and wondered whether it really lived up to the first.  I didn't connect with it as much.  So when I heard about this new release, I was kind of on the fence, however, it had rave reviews so I gave it a go...and I'm so glad I did.

The novel is based on the story of Father Time - the man who invented time and how he was punished by God for doing so.  The book also details the stories of two modern characters - a teenage girl and an octogenarian man.  The connections between the characters were really clever and they were really easy to connect with.  I think anyone can relate to the evil of time and how we usually feel that we are short of it.  I identified with the book so much that I wanted to do away with the whole principle of time by the time I was finished (two days), if only my boss would agree!

The message of the novel struck a chord with me in the worst of ways on Friday when the tram I was travelling in struck a pedestrian.  She was running across the road without looking, to catch another tram.  I've seen it almost happen so many times but it was still a nasty shock when it did.  I know I am guilty of it at times too but it really pains me to see people put themselves in such danger for the sake of not being late.  The trams in Bremen are so regular that there is normally another one after five minutes!  I hope the lady is alright.

In the meantime, I'm making a promise to myself to focus more on the here and now, and spend more time with those I love.