It is truly amazing how much one can accomplish when almost all the sand is gone in the hourglass. Time becomes more precious and hopefully on becomes a better judge of how that time should be spent.
Although I still have a couple of years left to reach official retirement, my mind says "now is a good time to start practicing". I moved to part-time status at my work and embraced the 4-day work week. I am picking up speed on accomplishing more things on my "B"list...as I have successfully beaten the clock and accomplished everything on my shorter "A" list.
I resolved to create a blog about the value of time and post it daily for a year. I started it on Christmas day 2010 and logged my final post on Christmas Eve 2011. Whereas, some people have read it off the net and I have force-fed members of my family, (I did get 3443 views over the year) the greatest value was what I personally received by creating it. I thought long and hard about time, what mine means to me and what would be the best use of the unknown quantity I have left.
Isn't it sad that people put more thought, desire for success, energy, conviction, creativity and resolve into planning their seven day vacation than they do for their life as a whole? Seems a bit odd, don't you think? When you know you are going to only get one vacation this year...think of all the planning we put into it to make it the best ever...but not our life.
We would be abhorred at the thought of flying to Paris, Rio or Cancun and sitting in our hotel room, watching TV, until the return flight was taxiing down the runway. Wouldn't we want to cram all the excitement and joy into those days as we could? Why not our life?
It is because we think we have plenty of time and it won't run out. We get just the one turn, unless you get a wake-up call, as I did, re: one's own mortality and take a peak at your life clock clicking away whether you like it or not and whether you do anything with your minutes or not.
Every day, people pass away unexpectedly (meaning we all probably expect to die, but not just yet). Who wouldn't choose being diagnosed with Cancer vs. being hit with a bus? One has a lot more time and opportunity to get it right, to be the person you should be, and build your legacy for family and friends.
I an luck and I am grateful. I started a new blog on Christmas Day http://gratitude-alittlegoesalongway.blogspot.com/ (as a present to myself and to my family) to succeed the blog about the value of time and replace it with another daily blog about Gratitude and what I am thankful for. Very powerful to FOCUS on that EVERY day. It is like winning the lottery everyday...we are all very rich in the important things which, of course, are not things at all, are they?
rlw
SPIRIT IN THE SKY - Another Day in Paradise band
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“A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.” - Unknown
