It's Not The Money, It's Not The Stuff

I used to think only "old" people said time went by too quickly. That it was here for a second and then suddenly - gone.

Today, I realize, I was wrong.

Time really does zoom past us like we are standing still. The problem is, when we are younger, we don't realize that precious commodity that we lose a little more of each day. We don't appreciate it while it is here.

Every week, it seems like time is speeding up. I know, in reality there is the same number of minutes, same number of hours, in each and every day. And yet, I still can't help but think some days are gone before they can even get a good start out the gate.

It becomes even more apparent as we get older. Why? Because as we age, hopefully any way, we mature at the same time. As we age we begin to have an appreciation for what is really important in life. It's not the title. It's not the money. It's not the stuff.

It's time.

And in that precious allotment what we should be thinking about is how we spend the time we are given. What makes it even more tenuous is none of us know just exactly how much time we have. Some of us will live to a ripe old age. While still others, leave this earth without having had the opportunity to experience all that it offers.

I would venture to say there is no one who, when they are standing at those pearly gates, is going over all the "stuff" they wish they had gotten. Instead, like we tend to do when we lose someone we care about - we spend our time regretting the time we lost. Sharing a special moment. Giving a hug. Sharing a laugh or maybe even two. Talking. Telling someone we care about how we feel.  Just being together - whatever that looks like.

It gets said over and over again.... Make those memories. Cherish that time together.

And yet, most of us will ignore that no matter how many times we hear it. No matter how many times we acknowledge it is what we need to do.

So why is that?

It has been said that teenagers think they are invincible. That they will be young for a very long time. I think we all carry those thoughts with us even past our teens. Although perhaps, they aren't are prevalent as they once were. We think, "we've got this! We've got plenty of time!"

When in reality, we really don't.

Everybody spends so much time thinking they have - you guessed it - time.

It makes me wonder, if someone could bottle and sell time, do you think people would take the opportunity and purchase a bottle or two? Or would we all do what we normally do - take it for granted.

So many times I, myself, have said those words - "I wish I would have told them.... I wish I would have gone to.... I wish I would have tried to ....."

It's time we all stopped wishing and instead tried slowing down and appreciate even just a little bit of time. Technology is great, but it has robbed us of that precious item even more than we were before. Now we want everything right this second because we have to fit 1,000 more things in to our day. We want gadgets and other "things". Everything that is, except time. Time for that which is most important.

We forget what it was like to just breathe in and breathe out. We forget what it is like to laugh. To relax and just be in the moment.

And the answer is so simple, yet so very difficult for most - it's you. You have to be the one who says I want to enjoy my time. I want to be able to spend my time myself - not let this world dictate how it is spent.