Time is mistress that controls my life as well as many others. I am directed by deadlines. I am constrained by appointments. I am shaped by the amount of time I spend on one activity over another. It is easy to blame time for what did or did not happen in our lives.
For the past few weeks, I have been away from California more than I have been there. Whatever the reasons were for the travel, I find myself wondering where the time has gone. Parents, friends, and family all shared bits and pieces with me. It seems like nothing was ever enough and yet it was what I had.
Every generation has traveled at some point. It seems as though it has always been that way. One author marked the passing of time with the following note. “Within five days we were again in Troas and stayed a week.” (Acts 20.6)
In my life, I have come to the following conclusions about time.
Time is the place where I exercise my freedom. I may not control anything or anyone else in life. I do hold the opportunity to control myself. Exercising this control is measured through time in where and how I focus my attention.
Time does not ever need to be negative. Time is the ultimate opportunity to make the world and myself better.
Time is comes in a single shot. There are no repeats. One cannot go back. One can go forward.
Investing in time is often a way of describing the process of focusing on relationships.
Time does not discriminate. It treats everyone the same.
I occasionally forget how important time is. There is a scar on the right side of my head that reminds me how precious life (time) is. I have been given several extended opportunities to enjoy my allotted time. I do not know if today will be easy or hard. I am not sure if yesterday’s plans are going to work out. I do know I have a unique opportunity to make a difference where I am.
