The Gift of Time
Would you rather have an infinite amount of money or an infinite amount of time? This question was posed to me by my 14 year- old son earlier this month. Without hesitation I knew the answer, he knew my answer – it was time.
For whatever reason, money has never been all that important to me, but I love time - time to myself, time to contemplate, time to sit and be still, time with no agenda. I breathe it in like some sort of hyper-charged oxygen.
I love a good road trip. Namely, I love a good road trip by myself. It’s not the destination, but the journey I enjoy the most, the process of getting there. It gives me time to sit and be lost in my thoughts along with my favorite music for hours on end. Some people in my life don’t understand this, but it is truly one of my favorite things to do.
I try and guard my time carefully - I am selfish with it and you will hardly ever see me get upset, unless I feel you’re wasting my time. In those moments, I’ve been known rudely cut a conversation short, or simply just turn and walk out of it. I’m not saying that’s a good thing, but it’s what I do. That’s how serious I am about protecting my time.
More often than not we don’t give ourselves the time we need; time to heal, time to process, and time to enjoy what’s right in front of us. This happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we create a life that is so busy, it leaves us no time for connection – to ourselves or to others. That’s a great way to live if your goal is to be dead inside. Other times we are too afraid to let ourselves sit in joy and happiness – always waiting for the proverbial other shoe. I have let this happen in my life more times than I care to admit.
When I got divorced, I gave myself a great gift – the gift of time. Time to be sure I was making the right decisions for me and my children. Time to ensure we were all adjusting to the new normal. For me, the process of divorce took about three years – and that’s not because of some lengthy court battle. It was because that’s the time it took for my heart to heal in certain areas so I could enter into the new areas with confidence. I didn’t rush it, I took the time I needed. Taking time in that situation looked like making no sudden and reactionary movements. It also meant not entering into new relationships before the current one was over. It’s easier, but not wise to move on before you’re ready.
I have found that gift has compounded in ways I could never have imagined back then and has set me up for a life greater than I could have known. A life that is hardly ever easy or perfect, but one that is built on solid footing and can withstand great impact. All because I took the time to discover and understand who I was and what I wanted out of life.
Where do you need to give yourself time? To heal, to process, to enjoy… Give yourself that gift, you are worth it!