We always have time enough if we but use it aright.~Goethe

by Gracey

Consider your use of time today. In our hurried lives many of us rush through the day racing to meet our obligations and complete tasks without regard to the passage of time. Somehow we believe that we will have time left over to do the things we want to do. That is rarely the case.  As Americans, we often fill our days with useless tasks that rob us of valuable time, even if the task is unnecessary or unproductive.

I started reading the book The Time Paradox by Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd. These men have devoted several decades of their lives to study time--more specifically how humans perceive and use their time.

I was struck by the assertion that with the onset of the industrial revolution, man transitioned from selling his services to selling his time. In exchange for a wage, man decided to sell eight or more hours of his time every day to another.  I had never thought of it that way, but surely it is true.

Consider who and what you sell your time to today. Guard it wisely using it for the things that really matter in your life.

Today, I am grateful for the ability to decide how I will spend my time, for the wisdom to choose wisely and the desire to eliminate useless time wasters from my life.


I am grateful for organizational skills that allow me to structure my day, for leisurely moments that allow time to stand still and for time enough to reach my goals.

I am grateful for people who pass through my life and teach me what I need to know. For insight that comes swiftly in the breeze, for the courage to stand fast on my dreams and the quiet peace that comes from nature.


I am grateful for family and friends who share my time on earth, for cats curling up in the morning sun and trees.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop and share my day. May you use your time wisely and be ever conscious of who and what you are willing to sell your time to.