“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it. You can never get it back.”
— Harvey Mackay
When we awake every morning, we get twenty four brand new hours. Everyone gets the same until they die. It doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, ethical or evil. It’s a free, unconditional gift that runs at 60 minutes per hour, regardless of who you are.
But we often forget that time is a gift. We live as though we have an unlimited store of time. We are busy chasing ephemeral things like pleasure, money, power, honor, or recognition by others. Or we are too consumed by what could have happened in the past or what will happen in the future.
No matter where you are, take a deep breath and remind yourself of the present moment. This very second is gift. The millions of decisions you made before this moment don’t matter nearly as much as what you choose to do now.
Each moment is a new opportunity. Even when external circumstances are beyond our control, no one can rob you of this moment. You have freedom to make a choice. No matter how terrible yesterday went, you can reset today.
Since you can’t deposit time into a bank account, you must also choose what to spend it on now.
So, will you be a channel of love, joy, and peace in this beautiful, chaotic world? Will you choose to be a slightly better person this second than the last? Will you say one kind thing to the person you love? Will you give more than you receive? Will you fully embrace this moment regardless of how sweet or bitter it tastes?
What do you do with this gift now?