Time: The Most Valuable Asset We Don't Own
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. - Marcus Aurelius
“Time is a luxury, don’t waste it.” - Emmanuel Tava (My Dad)
Time - a word that everyone knows, but do we really know the value of it. As July closes and the month is upon us, all I can think about is time.
Bill Russell passed away, and many more people in the world that I do not know have too. It’s sobering thought, but I ponder on the my mortality quite often. Any day, I can be here with family and friends - then poof, we vanish into the next realm.
As I reflect and get into my introspective moods, I think about what my former significant other asked me Dec 2020 “What will be enough?”
What is enough… what does it mean to be enough, to have enough in a world that sells you items and telling you will only be enough once you achieve this status.
I’m obsessed with fulfilling my potential, I’ve always marveled at greatness and I have strong desire to be great. That’s the competitor in me, but what is the cost of greatness.
One of my favorite books in the Bible is Ecclesiastes and I’ve been meditating on these verses from chapter 2, 20-24.
“20 So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.21 Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. 22 So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? 23 Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.24 So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.”
I think about the stark reality that everything that I am doing will all fade to black and it won’t matter at the end of the day. It matters, but also it doesn’t matter.
As someone who is an “investor”, I am always thinking about time - how much time will this meeting take, how much time will it take for the return of investment, and will this help the team that I am serving to get to the point where they want to be.”
No one owns Time and Time doesn’t owe us anything. It’s where I sit with these thoughts, where I detach and smile. Because the most important asset we have is our time.
I know the pandemic helped people course correct of what is important to them, and I think about that too. I remember my identity was rooted in how “hard and long I was working. Grind, hustle, achieve, be #1, when you’re sleeping, I’m working.”
That’s futile…. but….
I still find myself in those patterns and frame of mind, because I love to work… maybe too much. But, I’ve been learning more about balance. I don’t want to end my life on my deathbed thinking, “I wish I could have spent more time with my family, friends, and loved ones.”
I want to make sure I spend my time with the ones that choose me, the ones that I choose. I desire to invest my time wisely and go for the moon. I desire to invest my heart with the right people, right situations, right circumstances.
However, “right” is different for all of us - but I pray that we all invest this short, beautiful life well - because at the end we will all be forgotten, but our spirits remain here forever.
This life is too short for us not to go after our dreams, our visions, our hearts - but also this life is too short for us not to remember the important things.
As much as I can wish for people to be more kind, empathetic, understanding, and loving - not everyone will and that’s okay.
However, I know I can do that for the ones around me and the strangers that will read this.
Time is the most valuable asset we do not own… I pray that we embrace and appreciate each day.
Thank you for reading…
Sending so much love to you all. 🙏🏿🧡✨