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Time is money… so we always say.

Is it?

Well, we are paid for a 9 to 5 job; more, if we do overtime. The math tutor charges stiff money to come home for a lesson; more if she has to drive longer. The grocery shop will deliver groceries home at a price, unless we spend a determined amount. The handy man will charge the home visit, unless we engage his services.

We are paid for the time invested doing a particular job or activity. But here is the thing, we fill our days with events of all types, not just work. We may relax at the park, go to the movies, or we meet friends… activities that are not really paid for. So, time is not only money.

Time is life.

We only have 24 hours a day, and we cannot just take, buy, or borrow more… not even a second. And because we think that we will have many days ahead of 24 hours each, we take for granted we’ll have plenty of time to do everything today and tomorrow… but, do we?

There are many things we want to do in a day, and we’ll do most of them for sure, sometimes at the expense of those we have or should, which we’ll most probably postpone. All this to, suddenly, realize that our 24 hours are gone, and many things we wanted, had, or should do, were not done.

“What did I do with my time?”, you end up asking yourself at the end of the day.

We need to deeply acknowledge that not everything we do is worth doing, and the time we spend in doing worthless things is time wasted. Perhaps some could feel it is not a big deal. “Okay; tomorrow is another day”. Yes, maybe, but let’s not forget that, meanwhile, our body continued wearing out, and its energy depleting, our life consuming, regardless how we spent the time. And time wasted today cannot be recovered tomorrow… or ever!

“What do I do with my time?”

This question will pop out at some point, better sooner than later. And more often once we are really conscious that time is so precious that we need to do things that will keep us growing and improving. Thus, whenever we are doing something, we should ask following questions proactively:

Is this contributing to my spiritual, physical, mental, and/or emotional health, so I become a better person? Am I developing a talent or learning anything? Am I helping or benefiting somebody?

Ask yourself when you:

• Watch that TV movie about an alien invasion to our planet, or look through that magazine about Hollywood actors.
• Work in a 9 to 5 job, doing a work that can be finished before 3; or sit at that work meeting to discuss a topic that has nothing to do with you at all, and you can neither contribute to it.
• Drive the longer route home; or shower for more than 8 minutes.
• Day dream about living in Mars, or about fighting with the Avengers.
• Go to the shop to check the latest phone out, which you don’t need because the one you have is only 2 years old; or go through that furniture shop catalog when you don’t need or plan to buy anything.
• Leave the birthday last; or stay awake until late at night just to catch the results of the F1 race in TV.

If you feel you are benefiting yourself or someone else, then it is good! But I bet it is only a little.

Now, next, repeat the same questions when you:

• Read the bible, or that book about fostering values and virtues.
• Invite your parents or your friends for dinner just to get closer.
• Study so hard for that exam next week at the college; or learn another language.
• Help your neighbor to hang the picture on the wall, or visit a friend at the hospital.
• Read a biography, or watch a comedy movie that your friend recommended
• Spend 30 minutes at the gym, or go hiking the hill nearby.

We all do many and different things, but not all are worth doing; some will just make us waste our days and our life. We need to invest our time in doing something valuable and rewarding. By valuing our time, we are valuing our life. And when we learn to value our time, we will also value that of others.

Are you?

And remember to take a look at the book Sicamor! Thanks!