Some may not realize just how much we pay to make, keep, and maintain relationships. I have been thinking about it, and I have recognized that there is a real cost associated with being a friend. Cost, what cost? It’s called time, and we spend varying amounts of time in the many relationships we have.
In addition to talent and ability, each of us is given an amount of time to use during our lifetime. My grandmother spoke of seventy years being the standard for life, any more than that meant we were living on borrowed time. She died shortly after her seventieth birthday. In her mind, if she were still living, I would have already borrowed nearly two years of extra time from someone who had their life shortened. I don’t know how much more time that my credit-life line will allow for me to borrow, but I hope it’s a lot. I wonder, “What is my credit rating?”
Two songs that offer differing perspectives on the use of time are, Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville” and Brad Paisley’s “Time Well Wasted.”
I make no judgement, nor do I purport to understand the full meaning of either song. The first, with the popular theme, “Wasted away again in Margaritaville,” hints at allowing our mind to be clouded with alcohol and pointless activities. The second, declares there is value in wasting time. The words tell us that spending time with certain others is good, especially when we set aside some of those things that tend to rule our lives while we interact with people who are important to us. In fact, Paisley proclaims that there is such a thing as, “Time Well Wasted.”
I believe that the crucial thing for each of us is that we spend our time wisely.
I declare that every second I am with my wife, Carolyn, is time well spent. We each enhance and improve the other’s life. We are better people for every moment we are together.
Some thoughts to ponder:
Occasionally we may spend money frivolously until we realize that if we do not quit doing it, there won’t be enough remaining to pay for the things we really want. We must control our spending to ensure that we have enough to go around.
Time is the same way. If we use it unwisely doing things that do not need to be done at that point in life, we may not have enough time to complete the things we wanted to do. Time is finite, meaning for each of us, time is a set quantity that will end.
From millionaires to paupers, the amount of money we have is different for each of us, and likewise the amount of time we have varies widely. How we use it is what makes our life move back and forth between wonderful and less than wonderful.
Time, we give it, or we withhold it. I like giving time to things and people I love. Who or what did I spend my time for today? I attended church, heard a sermon on how to improve my life, and then had lunch with friends. I feel a good value for the time I expended.
I like being nice to people, a good value for the time I spend with them.
Hateful speaking or putting people down is a perfect example of wasting time.
Do you waste much of your time complaining about politicians or people who do not believe like you?
When I think about it, I am saddened by how much time I have spent foolishly. I would rather believe that I have been a perfect steward of my time. The only thing I can hope for is that I learned something of value during those wasting time periods.
Is your time well spent, well wasted, or just wasted?
Wayne Brady 2/22/2018
Wayne Brady Smiles 