The Gift of Time

I learned I have something more to be grateful for! Time!! Who know? I always looked at time as the "silent preditor" who steals away into my every day taking that which I always need more of! No one has enough time, I don't have enough time. We are always needing and wishing for more time.

As an accountant this is the "busy" time of year! Busy season for taxes, busy season for audits, busy season for year end reporting, busy season for new year accruals, busy season, busy season, busy season! In true accountant fashion, I have been "celebrating" busy season by working lots and lots of long houred days! Often, after my long work days I come home feeling exhausted, picked on, and, of course, I feel like the hardest worker in all the United States! Woe is me! My life, my time, all flying by!

This past week I was talking with a good friend. We were talking a little bit about our schedules. He mentioned how he is invovled with student government, is finishing up his pre-med degree, preparing for a piano recital (32 minutes of memorized piano pieces), studying for the MCAT and taking study courses, is enrolled in extra classes such as swimming and institute as well as all his other pre-med and music courses. Typically he doesn't even get home until 10:00pm. Once he returns home he still takes time to wash (by hand) his roomates dirty dishes. Can you imagine?! I was humbled. Throughout our conversation I also learned of other activites my friend is involved with within his family and the community and with his friends.

I learned to be grateful for my time... not only to be grateful, but that I also have the power to decide what I do with my time. How powerless I am left when I let others decide my time commitments, or give away my agency thinking I MUST use my time in this way or that. Although it is busy season and I am working a lot of hours, I still have the choice to decide how I will spend my time at work, how I will spend my time interacting with co-workers, and how I use my time outside work. I, of course, do not run as fast or have the strength my friend has. But I can use my time as effectively as he does. I can choose to come home and love my roommates, I can choose to give my very best at work.