By Kathleen E. Murphy
There is a time in our life when we feel we have infinitely more time than we might, particularly when we are younger than 18. I picked this age because in the US, this is when you legally become an adult. We all know that no one really knows how much time each of us has to be on this planet. So, what would you do differently if you knew how much time you had to be alive? Would you make a “bucket list” of the things you want to do, or could possibly do, or would you not act any differently? Maybe you have not given this concept much thought?
What if you could do exactly what you wanted to do with your time without any consequences? Or, what if you could do only the things which truly made you happy? I began thinking about time and how each of us looks at it from a different perspective, and how it is governed by each of our own life circumstances. Sometimes the choices in life we make have an impact either positively or negatively on our life, and other times situations occur which are out of our control and which bring our time to an end suddenly.
Attending a funeral this morning and listening to the story of the beloved person who passed away, her life was described by her daughter in the most captivating way. I was thoroughly absorbed by her storytelling ability, but what struck me the most, was her Mom’s absolute joyful perspective on the life she had had lived. Not all of her days were a perfect “10”, but this woman clearly knew how to have a joyful life as described in great detail by her daughter. Essentially everyone she met, she adopted into her life. She did this with the sole purpose of making them feel like they were a gift and special to her. Each day this woman literally made it her mission to make everyone she engaged with have a better day.
I wish I could tell you I knew and met my friends Mom. I did not have the fortune of doing so, and I actually only saw her within the last ten minutes of her life. When I saw her, she was in a hospice situation surrounded by her family who was gathered at the kitchen table for dinner. She was peacefully resting in her bed behind the kitchen table, joining them in her own way. This family was clearly making the best use of the time they had with her, and showered her with their presence and love.
When you think about time and how you utilize it, do you think of it in terms of it being a gift? Today I was reminded I need to think of time as a gift, and to not assume I have an infinite amount of it. Instead I need to focus on making sure I am capitalizing on each day to the fullest.
As I referenced in my article about Success, everyone will have a different definition of what success means. Time is similar in terms of how people approach thinking about this concept. As we get older, the saying “time flies by” takes on a new meaning. When I was younger, there were days when time felt like it stood still. I am not exactly sure when I realized time was moving at a faster rate, but it was likely when I was in my mid to late twenties when I felt the pressure to make various life choices (e.g., career, marriage, children). Looking back on my choices and the timing of them, I am glad I made the choices I did. My timing choices and the decisions I made are the building blocks which have made me into the person I am today.
I am still sad my friend’s Mom passing away was a catalyst for making me seriously think about time as a gift, but I gained a new perspective on the reality of it being so today. If you take one thing away from this article, I hope it will be to reflect upon how you view the concept of time, and I hope you have an abundance of it to enjoy.
Kathleen E. Murphy is the Founder, Chief Strategist and CMO of Market Me Too. Market Me Too has expertise in bridging marketing and sales teams and providing organizations techniques to accelerate their market growth, regardless of the industry they are in, or the business stage they are presently at. Contact Kathleen at kathymurphy@me.com.