Preface:
This is a fictional story of a man who lived in the Pre-Columbian era and his life in regards to the significance of time and a new invention…a calendar.
My name is Kinich Ahau. I am Mayan and a farmer by trade. My family and I work long, hard days in the fields. We grow corn, lots and lots of corn. We get up very early in the morning and work late. We know when it is time to work when the sun comes out and we know when it is time to end our work day when the sun sets. It sure is difficult not having a sense of time, only knowing when it is time to work and when it is time to quit. I wish I had some way to measure the length of the say and the different seasons.
Alas! Along came a new invention. A calendar. This is so wonderful. Every time the sun comes up and goes down is a new day. These days make up months and these months make up years. Now I understand why the seasons change and the stars keep returning to the same locations in the sky.
The priest of our town is very smart. Because he has knowledge of the heavens, I believe him when he says something is so. For example, he told my family and I that today was the day to store our corn and we did so. He was right. He must know this because of his connection with the correlation of the sun, moon, and stars.
One thing that is interesting to me is the priest’s approach. He is a little overbearing when it comes to telling the people of my village what is so. I know I said he is smart and I listen to him but I feel that he talks down to us instead of working with us. I sure wish he was a little more understanding.
Well, nonetheless, I am happy. I now have something to look forward to. I am more organized and with the size of our village growing so rapidly and our corn production increasing, it is helpful to have a schedule from which to work from.
Well, I have to get back to my farming. Thank you for listening to my story.