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Time
and the Things of Greatest Worth
Lloyd
Newell
How we choose to spend our time says a
lot about
us. It's true that
sometimes we don't have any say over how our minutes, hours, and days
are spent. No one really chooses to wait in long grocery lines, catch
the flu, or get stuck in traffic. But what we do with the time we have
reflects our commitments, interests, and values.
A beloved hymn reminds us:
Time flies on wings of lightning;
We cannot call it back.
It comes, then passes forward
Along its onward track.
But suppose you were allowed to "call back" a
day or even an hour and relive that small portion of your life. What
would you do differently? Would you spend more time with children? with
grandparents? with neighbors and friends? Would you take the
opportunity to apologize? to forgive? or simply to listen?
When we think back on our lives, most of us
don't wish we had watched more television or held more grudges. In the
same way, possessions, power, and prestige are all but forgotten when
life comes to an end. But things of the heart endure and even grow
sweeter with time's passage. Opportunities to help, to love, to learn,
and to cultivate relationships are among life's greatest gifts. Since
we all have some life left to live, let's pause to consider whether
we're spending our time on things that matter the most.
Then should we not endeavor
Each day some point to gain,
That we may here be useful
And ev'ry wrong disdain?
Defining
Moments
Archives
Copyright
© 2006, Jace Carlton. All International Rights Reserved.
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