The Gift of Our Time

People don’t have a lot of time these days. Busy, busy, busy. But one of the greatest gifts we can give our friends and those who are dear to us is our time.

I’ve noticed that people seem to flit in and out of things rather quickly. It’s another thing “to do.” That birthday party of your dear friend, the holiday dinner with family, the graduation celebration of your niece, etc – they are all just added things on the list.

I’ve been there. I’ve had many empty days fill up quicker than I could snap my fingers. My weary mind and body have been so hungry for a day to just relax and recharge. It vanishes quickly.

The thing is, when it vanishes – sometimes it’s my choice. I could tell my daughter “no” about that extra birthday party. I could say “no” to many things unless they are school-required or appointments that aren’t flexible. So when some of my free time fills up – it’s my doing.

I can still make choices though. I don’t have to go to 3 celebrations in one weekend. I can choose just 1 to prioritize and go to and give my regrets to the other two.  I don’t have to cram everything I’m invited to into my schedule. It doesn’t make me more loved (or them) to hop in and out of function after function as if I’m some celebrity that they are “graced” to have in their presence.

I’ve found that it’s more meaningful to do less – MORE. It’s more important to those I love to spend more time with them than to have many friends get less of me. To stop in for 30 min at party after party is exhausting for me as well as them. And let’s be honest. Parties, reunions, weddings, events, etc – they take a lot of effort, money, and time in preparing. It’s kind of rude to just go in, eat a little, give a quick hug and then leave! But how about staying for 3-4 hours? Getting to know someone better and truly investing and leaving our heart and time with them? How about clearing out our schedule and just focusing on one thing instead of 3 or 4? Yes, someone might be disappointed once in awhile but in the long run, everyone involved will get more out of it.

A lot of things in our life will come and go. Relationships are where it’s at and what truly matters.  Take the time. Invest your time. Love with your time. You will be so glad you prioritized and made the choice to focus on less.. with MORE of you.