How Do You Spend Your Time?
We can only see so many more sunsets
There are songs written about it, movies made about it, and we all wish we had more. Time is a precious commodity, so why do I waste it?
If I think of time like money in the bank, how would I spend it? Once it’s withdrawn, it can’t be replenished, so it’s worth more than all the gold and silver in the world.
When I was young I thought I had all the time in the world. It wasn’t until my thirties when my grandma died that time seemed like an enemy.
At forty, I woke up with aches and pains I never had before. Time wasn’t on my side. It’s the great equalizer that stops for no one. Death and aging are what make us take notice.
Time stand still
I’m not looking back
But I want to look around me now
See more of the people
And the places that surround me now
– Time Stand Still, Rush
Many of us try to defy time with anti-aging creams, by going to the doctor and eating healthy. And those who can afford it might get plastic surgery to make it appear as if they haven’t aged a day since thirty-four so they’re still needed at sixty-four.
Grandma had wrinkles before sixty-four and hated them, but I thought she was pretty with her red lipstick, matching outfits, and hair in an updo. She went gray in her thirties.
My hair started turning gray in my twenties. I have an on-again, off-again relationship with L’Oreal. We see each other every four weeks.
And, just like Grandma, I hate the lines that are appearing on my face and neck. How did this happen? Just yesterday I was wild and carefree, living in the moment, never giving time a second thought.
Now, it seems it’s knocking at my door, or, at least, walking down my street.
I’m on the downward slope of the hill. I guess that’s why time seems to keep slipping away.
We all know time is infinite. We’re only going to get to experience so many more Christmases, sunsets, and vacations. No one wants to think about that, but it’s a good reality check to put things into perspective.
So understand
Don’t waste your time always searching for those wasted years
Face up, make your stand
And realize you’re living in the golden years
– Wasted Years, Iron Maiden
On summer breaks from high school, I moped around the house.
“I’m bored,” I told Dad.
He grew irritated hearing this for the tenth time.
“Find something to do,” he said.
As if it was that easy. Or was it? This was before I got my driver’s license, so I was limited to my house and the neighborhood. But, I still had options beyond watching MTV or HBO. I could read a book, walk to a friend’s house, go to the park, play basketball in our driveway, or shoot pool in our basement.
Most of those options are no fun to do alone. We need people to share them with – to make them more worthwhile. Luckily, I have friends and family to spend time with. Still, I get bored from time to time. When I do, my husband listens to me whine. Not much has changed there, but my options have. Now, I have transportation and (limited) money.
So, why do I still take time for granted? Going through the motions just to get through the day is a choice.
A third of our lives is spent sleeping, a third is spent working, and a third doing the things we want to do. I’m stingy with that last third. Often, other obligations keep me waiting several days before I can get to that thing I want to do.
That’s why I enjoy Saturday mornings. I get up early, make a cup of coffee, pull up the shade, and sit in quiet solitude. It’s my time to be still and think or create without any distractions. Those few hours are a gift to me, but I wonder if I should be spending them differently. If I had a counter that measured the time I sit on the couch or the time that I spend watching YouTube videos, I’d be appalled.
According to Google, it’s estimated that people spend nine years of their lives sitting on a couch!
I imagine myself at the end of my life trying to bargain with Death.
Death: You spent nine years of your life sitting on the couch.
Me: Nine years! Oh my gosh! If you give me some of that time back, I promise I’ll do something more productive.
But, what would I do? Go for a jog? Work at a food pantry? Do a home remodeling project?
The reality is I need downtime to relax my mind and body, especially now that I’ve reached a certain age (I qualify for the senior discount in some places). However, I could relax in other ways, such as taking a walk in nature. Then, I’d also get exercise.
Living in the Midwest, the weather plays a role in how active I am, which impacts how I spend my time. The gray days affect my mood greatly. When it’s twenty degrees outside, I’d rather stay inside under a blanket. I’d hibernate if I could. The winters are long and bleak, but they don’t have to be spent indoors.
My husband and I play trivia with another couple once a month. I’m also on a trivia team with my mom and her sister and we play bi-weekly at a local restaurant. I invite a friend to meet me at the local coffee shop once or twice a month to catch up and I visit my best friend every Sunday morning for coffee.
It’s lovely to have routines like these to get out of the house and to stay connected with others even in the winter.
Soon, winter will melt and when I hear the first chirps of the robins and see buds on branches, my spirits will lift and I'll get a surge of energy. Feeling the sun’s warmth on my skin is like a hug from a friend I haven’t seen for a while.
Spring truly is a rebirth— not only for nature — but for me to experience new things with the people I love. Today is a gift, and tomorrow is unknown. I want to make moments count and create happy memories with the people who enrich my life. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time.
How do you spend most of your time? Do you ever feel like you’re wasting it? How do you think you should spend it differently?