It’s About Time

An advertised Amazon product appeared to be just what I needed and wanted. That is, until it arrived. The return process seemed to be easy-until it wasn’t.

I rewrapped the product in bubble wrap and placed it in its original box, but it didn’t fit. On the second try the product was bulging, but heavy tape secured it in place. I attached the mailing label and a refund was on its way.

My short and frustrating adventure reminded me of time. Yes, I used time on the rewrap and I’d never get that time back, but at least I got the cash refund.

I’m given twenty-four hours each day. No matter what I do to maneuver and catch up in the next hour, I can’t fit in what I could have done in that one that was lost. It passed; it’s gone. We don’t get it back.

Like you, photos of memories pop up on my phone. As I glance,  I think when did that happen? Social media exploded with first day of school pictures. Comments mirrored others, “seems like yesterday he started kindergarten and now he’s a senior in high school.”  In dismay, I see photos of my former college students who are now grandparents. Weren’t they just students in my class? Wasn’t it yesterday I held my newborn granddaughter and today she is a bride? The obituary? Wow he’s a contemporary—we played in the neighborhood as kids; went to school together. Now his dash is completed.

We’re all given 24 hours in a day. Once it’s used, there are no refunds or repeats. The next day will not be a duplicate. Opportunities may be gone, the weather changes, our health may not be the same; people may leave.

How are we choosing to use our time? Each of us has personal answers that reveal our priorities and values. Perhaps yours include:

• recreation
• busyness
• fulfilling our purposes
• helping
• learning
• sharing
• complaining
• checking off the “to do” list
• looking for the next big thing
• making a difference
• _________________?

In her book, The Gift of Years, Jean Chittister writes about the holiness of time. Perhaps we honor that holiness by letting our vertical relationship with God influence and touch our decisions and horizontal relationships: caring for my health so I can pour into others, sharing smiles, phoning a friend, extending a kindness, altering my schedule to benefit someone in need.  Psalm 90:12 (NLT) reminds us of the brevity of life, aligning with God in planning, and seeing the value of the ordinary:  “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom”

What matters? Time is a holy and precious gift. There are no refunds.

How have your thought about time-a commodity or sacred? How will you take hold of today?