2012
I’ve had this thought on my mind for a while now. Recent events have tweaked and twisted it, but still it remains. Time is a commodity. It is something of value. It is something with which we barter. It is something we trade, sell, or donate. In looking back at my first blog of the year, I find this is a bit of a continuation of that theme.
You know, all books and all authors have some theme or meaning lying underneath the surface of the words. Themes can deal with nearly anything – internal conflicts, external conflicts, personal value, search for happiness/contentment, etc. You follow me on this I’m sure. In my book, Loving Deacon, the theme focuses on personal value. Deacon has found happiness in his wife and his family, but what he is missing is his personal satisfaction with who he is and the purpose his life has served. In Whispers in the Wind, Abby thinks she has found happiness by following her dreams, only to find true happiness somewhere else. The Ladder Climber is yet to be published, but its theme deals with finding the right balance to life and work. The Blemished Rose, which also has not yet been published, deals with misplaced guilt.
One underlying theme in each of these novels is time. In every instance, time plays a major role because life is much about time and how we use it. Time is a commodity. We trade time to our employer for pay. We put in a certain amount of time on the job and they give us a certain amount of money for that time. Of course, when it comes to how much money we are able to get for that time other factors come into play, such as technical skills, experience, and the difficulty of the task. This particular blog article isn’t about discussing the fairness of the trade, a discussion which could go on and on, but rather the fact that time is something which is limited and valuable.
Although much of our time is necessarily devoted to work or earning a living, we chose how we use our time. We try to portion our time so we can keep at least some of it for ourselves and our families. Some people save enough time to golf, fish, read, watch movies, or whatever makes them happy. Parents save time to go watch their kids play sports or attend a Christmas concert. Families look forward to taking time for vacations. People donate time to charities.
Perhaps if we knew just how much time we had, we would prioritize it better, but the truth is we don’t. When we are young life seems almost endless and we find ourselves believing we have plenty of time. We take more risks, we live carefree, and time appears to be on our side. And yet, plenty of young people never see their eighteenth birthday; they just didn’t have much time. As we grow older and people pass from among us, the limits of our time start to become more real.
Based upon my core beliefs, I believe there is a purpose to the amount of time we are given; a purpose for life and a certain amount of time in which to accomplish it. Deacon says we are like dominoes and each of us impacts the other. Therefore, my purpose could lead you to your purpose or vice versa. The ripples of your life may flow into mine. Even a life which seems cut short may have been just long enough to help shape another life or provide the catalyst necessary for another to find their purpose. These are my thoughts and you’re welcome to your own, of course.
I must admit, much of mine is wasted on things with little importance. So much time is spent worrying about things which really don’t matter in the grand scheme of life. These things become a distraction, sucking away time which could be better served if focused upon things of value. Such squandering of time is much akin to the accumulation of things; things which will waste and wither away; things which simply aren’t needed in order to live happy and comfortably.
What about you? What’s your purpose? Are you to do something which catches worldwide attention changing the course of history? Maybe you’re doing something just as important by changing someone else’s history; nurturing children who will shape the world in which they live. Perhaps your life was meant to rub up against someone else who has a completely different purpose. Will you look back on your time and find it was used wisely or squandered on a pot full of irrelevance? We probably all have things in our lives which are well worth the time as well as things which aren’t worth a minute and though I don’t think it is healthy to question ourselves on every second of our time, I do think it is healthy to realize that life is largely about how we spend our time.
Make the most of it my friends. Hug those grand-kids. Kiss your own kids. Stop and smell the roses. Take the time to offer roses. Write a book. Read a book. Plant a tree. Give some blood. Visit with someone. Spend some time alone. Just use it for what is important to you and to those you care about.
