about Time...

I long ago learned that Time is the most valuable commodity any of us have, and should be the most treasured, carefully guarded. But how is it that we seem to be so willing to squander it, and do such a poor job of husbandry?

Several years ago, I decided I did not see enough of my daughters, who live out of town, and at such a distance that visits have to be planned, organized, deliberated and deliberate. So I do that: get myself organized in a deliberate manner. The one who lives the greatest distance brings her calendar in the fall, and we plan a weekend for each month of the year, when I will travel to visit. Whereupon, we laugh, eat, amuse ourselves (a remarkably, stunningly easy task), sit around and laugh at pets and each other, possibly play a hilarious game of 'spoons' with a deck of playing cards and unsuspecting friends/relatives.

And make frequent ninety-minute trips north to visit the other daughter, who seems to be conveniently located on the way to most any other place I have any desire to go. So I do see them quite often - not nearly enough for my preference. But I can mostly keep myself occupied with daily activities, such as a part-time, tedious jobette, yard work, volunteerism, lunching with friends in between travels.

I was just thinking about Time. And know that how we spend our days is how we ultimately spend our lives... Occasionally wishing mine had been more productive, and remembering how frustrated my Dad could get over my 'lack of motivation' (which is probably the best way he could describe the fact that I seemingly had zero ambition for climbing the ladder of success - whatever that definition of 'success' might be.) I think his on-going concern was partially due to looking at life from a male perspective, and the way society evaluates/judges 'success'. But as it turned out, I think I did turn out. Ok.

The thing I never thought of : (until a friend brought it to my attention yesterday) what a sweet gift Time can be to give away, to invest in unadulterated frittering. I go to see friends and family because I can, because I want to, because I desire to stay connected, because these are the people I want to spend time with. But I had  not considered what it may/might mean to those people to have my undivided attention. The suggestion was to consider the effect of my willingness to devote pieces of my life to these people I care about. In the process of living, what our church family calls 'doing life together', I discover that time-sharing, investing of myself in other people is a two way street. And as we all know... you generally get out of life what you are willing to put into it.

I begin considering what giving little pieces of myself away could mean to those I care most about. And it is such a sweet gift, to be able to give, and hopefully: equally, and in the same spirit, received. It occured to me over the past weekend, as I was piddling around the yard, that it very rare for anyone to come to see me, drive down my street for the specific purpose of turning into my drive way. And to know someone is coming, have the opportunity to anticipate the gift of another person's time and interest makes it easier to understand what a highly valued commodity mine is.

So: thanks for coming to see me.