When I was in elementary school and junior high school, my family was so poor that my parents couldn't afford to buy a clock or a watch, so I didn't have any idea about time then.
The primary school was in the east of the village, but our home was in the west. Mother probably told the time from the chirps of sparrows. We got up early in the summer, without worrying about being late for class, but the winter night was long, sometimes it was not easy to tell the time.
At that time, I always felt that time passed slowly, counting fingers every day: What day is today? What day is tomorrow? Everyone expected the arrival of Saturday because we had only half a day of school on Saturday and we could leave the school in the afternoon. To this end, some children also made up doggerel to express their desire for the mood: After Wednesday, time passes so quickly; after Thursday, time flies; after Friday, you need to hold on for half a day; and after Saturday, you may go home with the school bag happily.
According to Einstein's Theory of Relativity, people, having a hard time, would find life long and tough. After getting rich, you would also find life becomes easier and comfortable, and time goes by quickly. No wonder people are sighing now: where has all the time gone?
At that time, there was another way to tell the time by the sun in the sky. If the sun is shining right overhead, or the sunlight that comes through the threshold is perpendicular to the threshold, it is 12 o’clock. Looking at the position of the sun in the sky, it is also possible to tell the time. If we are not sure, or when it comes to the rainy day, we have to go to the rich neighbour to ask the time, who can afford a watch or a clock.
Later, Father came back with an old small radio. Only the programs of Shandong Broadcasting Station could be heard clearly, but sometimes even the Shandong Station couldn’t be heard. We needed to knock the table where the radio was placed, and it would become normal. Anyway, by listening to the content or news that Shandong Station was broadcasting in fixed time, we could tell the time.
But one winter morning, looking at the bright moonlight outside the window, we could not tell whether it was bright or in the middle of the night. Turning on the radio, we could hear nothing. The radio didn’t work again.
My brother and I hurried to the school, fearing that we were late for class. But when we got to the school, the door was closed. The old man in the janitor’s room was surprised for it was only 4 o'clock in the morning. It was all because of the moon, which was so bright as if it were in the daytime.
Upon my graduation from junior high school, Father bought a wall clock from a shop in the town, which was produced by Yantai Wood Clock Factory. It is still hanging on the wall of our old home. During those days when we first hung up the clock, we couldn't fall asleep when we heard its time-telling sound. Slowly, we managed to get used of it.
As time went by, I also had my own wristwatch, and nearly all families in our village had watches and clocks. In the stores, the banks, the high buildings, even beside the traffic signs, you would find clocks and watches, and you could tell the time anytime and anywhere.
Later, with the popularity of mobile phones, they have gradually replaced the function of watches and clocks. At present wearing a watch is almost a manifestation of dignity, not for the sake of time at all. And those who wear watches have become the few representatives (Daibiao（戴表）, wearing a watch can be translated into the Chinese homonym daibiao（代表）, meaning the representative).
Recalling the past, and taking the time for example, we should never forget the difficulties of those past days, cherish the present happiness, and urge ourselves to keep moving forward for a better future.
在我上小学和初中时，家里穷得很，连个钟表也买不起，所以那时的我对时间没有任何概念。
小学是在本村，却在大东头，而我们家在村最西头。母亲大约是从天亮和麻雀的唧唧叫声中来判断时间的，夏天天亮得早，不用担心误了上课的时间，而冬天夜长，却有时不好来判断时间了。
那时总觉得时间过得好慢，天天掰着手指头算，今天是星期几啊，明天星期几啊，盼着到星期六。因为星期六只上半天课，下午就放学了。为此，有些孩子还编了一个顺口溜，来表达自己那渴望的心情：过了星期三，一天快一天；过了星期四，快的没有治；过了星期五，还有一头午；过了星期六，书包一提溜。
按爱因斯坦的相对论来分析，日子过得艰难就会难熬，觉得时间长；可生活富裕了就变得轻松，时光流逝的快了。怪不得现在的人都在感叹：时间都去哪儿了。
那时的判断时间，还有一个办法就是看太阳在天上的位置。日头在头顶上正中位置，或者看太阳照进门槛的光线，如是与门槛垂直的，那就是12点了。看日头升起或落下去的位置，也能大约估摸出时间了，实在拿不准，或者碰到阴雨天，就只好到有表的邻居家去问一下时间了。
后来，不知父亲从何处搞来了一台旧的小收音机，能清晰地收听到的台大概只有山东台，其他的台都忽高忽低，模糊听不清楚。就算这山东台也不能保证收听的到，有时听着听着就没了动静，需要去砸一砸下面的桌子，它才正常了。不管怎样，靠听一听山东台在固定时间播放的内容或者新闻，我们就能知道大约的时间了。
可有一年冬天的早上，看着窗外皎洁的月光，分辨不出是天已大亮还是在半夜中。打开收音机，可怎么也没有动静，敢情又坏了。
我和哥哥急急往学校里赶，以为晚了上课的时间。可到了学校却大门紧闭，敲开门口传达大爷的窗户，才知原来还不到4点钟。都怨这月亮太亮了，照得跟白天似的。
快到初中毕业时，父亲才从街上的商店里买了一个挂钟回来，那是烟台木钟厂生产的，一直到现在还挂在老家的屋墙上。刚开始挂上的那几天，那当当的报时声曾扰得我们无法入睡，好在慢慢就适应了。
再往后我也戴上了手表，家家户户也都有了钟表，无论商店、银行、高的建筑物上，甚至交通标志旁，也都按上了钟表，可以随时随地看到时间了。
后来就是手机的普及，渐渐取代了手表的功能。现在的戴表几乎是一种身份的体现了，而根本不是为了看时间，而戴表者就真正成了为数不多的代表了。
回忆过往，抽取时间这个记忆，为的是不忘曾经的艰难，珍惜当前的幸福，而为了未来的更加美好，督促自己不断向前。
Woow,,, a mazing,, very beutiful
Many thanks, dear.
I really enjoyed reading this story and found it mostly relateable! Human empathy can fill in the gaps though:)
"time management" was a big part of my strict childhood and now in my early adulthood I find the single most life changing aspect for me was learning to let go of the worries and anxieties that come with time.
Thanks for your appreciation. I've followed you.
记忆深处总有一处触及到内心！
刻骨铭心的东西，终身难忘。