The Gratitude Of Time
“The past is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” I recently received this quote written on a card by a dear friend.
Recent events in my life have made me think more about the beauty of time. They say time is the key to all solutions. I believe that is true based on my life, but lately I have spent my time valuing time just a little more. Time is a truly precious commodity that so many people take for granted.
Yesterday I was sitting my doctor’s office when I heard Brittany Maynard chose to end her life with dignity as opposed to the painful road her cancer journey would take her. For that I say “Amen” and “Godspeed” Brittany. Many criticize her and said it was SHE taking her life. The most proud moment and the most emotional moment was when she responded swiftly by correcting her critics and saying “No, CANCER is taking my life.” I felt at that very moment I wanted to fling my arms high in the air, stand to my feet and applaud this brave woman for telling it like it is. No, she did not allow cancer to impede her quality of life and she did not allow her time to be measured by the number of seizures or drugs she had to endure. She spent her time quality and enjoying every single second of every minute she had left on this earth.
In my heart I believe the most beautiful feature of time is its preciousness. Its value is unfathomable and its power is inestimable. Its potential is something which we cannot calculate. A minute is enough to win a victory. A second is enough to make you the richest man in the world. A fraction of a second can make a difference between life and death.
Every moment brings with it thousands of golden opportunities. Every minute is a store-house of ‘chances’. Therefore, we must not allow such precious time to slip away or go unused for any reason. If we do so, we allow those golden opportunities and chances to slip away too.
On an emotional level, time allows us to constantly re-evaluate how to chose the way we want to live. Time allows us to plan and even forgive. It gives us time to grow. Time allows us to breathe when we need a breath and gives us countless opportunities to be grateful, even when hard times may fall. And if we are lucky, time allows us to freedom to make memories or change the things we might want to change.
My friend’s card was so perfect at the moment I received it. Ironically it arrived at the point in my life where I began to realize how precious time is as a gift. A gift we receive we are given freely and unconditionally, but one that we should pay closer attention to when it gently nudges us. We should never forget its value or it’s potential to create opportunities we might not see we have. Sometimes we need to stop and take a look at how we treat that gift. I know I have.
(Post Dedicated to Susan Fraiser)
