An Extra Hour

Woke up at 5:45 this morning and couldn't sleep because my body, unaware of Daylight Savings Time, said it was 6:45 and time to get up. Jazz was the same, wandering into the bedroom about 5:30 and wondering where everyone was and the cause for such laziness. So we both went downstairs and I let her out and she came back confused because the paper wasn't there, which is something I could hardly explain to humans, much less a dog.

Not yet hungry and with no paper to read, I stood and pondered for a moment what to do with this extra hour I had been granted, and found myself contemplating the gift of time we have all been given. We all enter this world with two great endowments--time and the choice of how to use it. Yes, some are given more time than others, and some have more choices. But the quality of our lives can be measured by our stewardship over these gifts.

Looking back on the past 50 years, I realize that I have not fully appreciated this gift of time. I'm not suggesting that I should have squeezed more activity into my waking hours, although in many cases, that is true. (I have always loved the Irish adage: When God made time, he made plenty of it.) No, I don't mind letting time drift by occasionally, unencumbered by activity or production. But I'd like to bask in that leisure, living fully in the moment, completely connected to my environment, or even my mental state. I'd like to improve the quality of my time.

I also wish I had prioritized my time a little better. Some things could have been left undone. For many years I think I allocated way too much to being successful and making money, at the expense of things more dear, because that is what is expected of people who have those capabilities. But regret is probably our most wasteful indulgence, and so instead of wallowing in past failures, I will try to look ahead, not knowing how much time I have left, and thoughtfully consider this extraordinary gift and how I plan to use it.

I will start with the rest of my extra hour.