Lessons Learned…
Time
Twenty-four
hours in each day is all we have to accomplish all that needs to be
accomplished. With our multitudinous lists of busy-ness, we stuff our days from
beginning to end in a manner that might resemble an attempt to stuff nine
pounds of potatoes into an eight pound sack. So we run instead of walk from
thing to thing and find ourselves exhausted when the clock ticks bedtime and
our list has not been fully accomplished. Never mind, though, for there’s
always tomorrow, and the “unfinisheds” can be added to tomorrow’s list.
Tomorrow’s list simply grows and grows in parallel with the frustration due to ever-growing
lists. And so it goes, but the truth remains, that each day still has
twenty-four hours. Additional hours cannot be bought, borrowed, or traded,
despite any gallant attempts to do so.
For instance, standing eight or nine deep in a local checkout line
pushing a full cart of necessary bargains,
I turned to the waiting customer behind me and asked if she had noticed which
aisle contained “time;” a box or a can, it didn’t matter to me. With a facial
response that began as annoyance, then turned to perplexity, and ultimately to
a cunning smile, the neighboring customer asserted that she had been unable to
locate the time aisle as well regardless of the fact that she was fairly
certain that she had heard that they had been running a special on it today. That
explained it. Time was all gone, and we were simply too late to have cashed in
on the special. After a shared and knowing chuckle, we resumed our silent,
pensive waiting. Time. There is never, ever, ever enough, and that is precisely
why time is priceless. Time is a priceless gift. Exactly how one spends his or
her time speaks volumes concerning one’s truest priorities. All excuses aside, the picture painted by one’s
time expenditures will be the mirror of what one values most dearly. I would
contest that relational time invested is far more meaningful and satisfying
than “things accomplished” time. Yet, we
lose ourselves in our busy-ness, and sometimes go days without engaging in
deep, significant, meaningful relationship building conversations, for there
quite simply is just not enough time. This is ridiculous, tragic and completely
twisted around. The human heart craves relationship, and yet, this is among the
first things cut when the tomorrow’s list is drawn. Why have we continually sacrificed what our
hearts need, to chase an illusion that society seems to demand? In families,
what is the picture of our time? In classrooms, what is the picture of our
time? Today, what is the picture of your time? The issue of time is
gargantuan. To be continued…
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