Spilling Time Down the Drain

Have you ever stopped to think about how different each and every person’s life is? I sometimes just stop, and put myself in somebody else’s shoes for a moment, or at least try to. I think about what it’s like to be them; to feel their emotions and take on their challenges. I think about each cross everyone has to bear and then think about my own. Usually, none worse than another, and in some cases...much worse than the other. I never rely on my gratitude on the downfalls of another, yet I try to gain perspective of all the things I have right now and all the things I can do while I’m still able. And yet, sometimes of all those thoughts go right down the drain and it’s back to “me me me” and all the complaints that go hand-in-hand with it. My friend Sadé Smith shared a quote on facebook by Joyce Meyer: “Complain and remain. Praise and be raised.” Even if you’re not religious, this quote is so true. If all we do is complain about our current situations, we’ll most likely remain in it if we have the wrong attitude. If we are grateful for everything (praise/being grateful for what you have) then you’ll be 'raised', or your situation will most likely get better - even if it doesn’t - your mindset will be better. Again, it’s all about perspective. I thank God every single day for waking up healthy and for everyone who is in my life. Money without love is meaningless. I can live with less money and more love any. given. day.

Then I went and bought twenty lotto tickets last night. It’s a total contradiction to what I had just written in the paragraph above. I think about investing in time - not huge monstrosity of cookie cutter homes. I want my family to retire and spend more time with one another. I want to help those who need to get out of debt. I want to help the church and give them 10%. I wanna I wanna I wanna, but what would really happen if I won? Would all my “good intentions” go down the drain? Would the 10% become 5%? Would I become greedy and more distant from thanking God every single morning and taking my health for granted? Would I forget about the important things? You always have to wonder. “Oh I would volunteer and give more if I won the lottery.” Why can’t we do that now? Why can’t we just go into a church or an organization and do it now while we're still alive, yet not so rich? All these thoughts flooded my mind as I prayed this morning. I then found myself asking the local church if they needed assistance with anything, perhaps do some office work, organize or plan events, and yes, even helping out in their nursery.

The majority of people literally wish their lives away. I’m guilty of it too. Even people who work in office say, “TGIF” --thanking God that it’s Friday. So when Monday rolls around, you’re wishing it were already Friday -- 5 entire days later -- which is time. When you think about it, isn’t that insane? I used to scream “TGIF” all. the. time. In fact, my co-worker and close friend sat in the next cubicle from me and she had this little man that sat on top of her computer. When you pressed a button, it would sound an alarm and scream, “Thank God it’s Friiiidayyyyy”, and everyone would laugh and then clap. It was cute. But really...it makes you think about how many people are wishing their valuable time down the drain.

“In reality, killing time is only the name for another of the multifarious ways by which Time kills us.” ~Osbert Sitwell

“You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by; but some of them are golden only because we let them slip by.” ~James Matthew Barrie

For more of Deb's articles, please visit: www.debrapasquella.com