Acknowledge & Appreciate

Time. What is it? How do you individually define time in your world? Is it the clock on the wall where you have to wake up at a certain time, to drop the kids off at a certain time, make it to work on time, and get to bed at a certain time? Yes, all of these are very important when it comes to time and having some organization in life. 

We’re all given only so many hours in a day and in our lives. Many of us live life like our hair is on fire for the most part...yes, hypothetically speaking of course. I am no different as I have lived on fire for 20+ years from being a husband, father, son, brother, friend, entrepreneur not to mention all of the athletics I’ve tackled along the way. I wouldn’t give any of it up but there is a “however” to this story.

For many of you parents out there who can relate to this, you get home from work and you need to make dinner. The kid or kids need a bath or they need to get their homework completed. 

You’re exhausted from your day at work and you’re trying to hurry to get dinner done, dishes cleaned and put away, maybe do a load of laundry, help the kids with homework, get the kids to bed so you can get all of your own things accomplished for the next day with the hopes of having a few moments to exhale before hitting the sheets and hitting the repeat button.

You may or may not have heard the quote or saying “You don’t know what you have until it's gone.” Time is one of them.

I want to talk about a different form of “time”. This time I speak of is the time of being present. Let me ask you another question. When was the last time you sat with your family or friends and sort of hit a pause button and looked around the room? I mean really looked around the room at who you were surrounded by?

I’ve been granted this gift. The gift of being present. I am so very thankful for it. The other night my bride was moving about the house doing the thousand things she does every night to keep balance in all of our worlds. 

As she drifted by, I looked at her and then looked at my daughter as we were doing a project together and noticed our wonderful dog Pounce lying on the floor curled up in a ball looking peaceful as ever. 

Capturing this time, that particular moment, is what I’m referencing. Having the ability to bring yourself into the present and have a little internal conversation within the gratitude of time and what you are able to create in your world.

Not everyone has this exact scenario, but I’ll bet if you take the time, become present, look around, go within and have the conversation you too have similar aspects to your life all around you. 

You will have this overwhelming sense of appreciation of what is in your life. It will enhance your life tenfold. This is my challenge to you: take time each and every day of your life to find these special moments in time. They are there, so pay attention. Avoid the trap of letting life go by so fast you do not see all the beauty around you. I leave you with this quote.

“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