Don’t you think time is a funny concept to grasp? For example, when you are reading this sentence, it is the present but when you reach the end of it, it is the past! And the paragraph below this one is the future! However, within a few seconds, it will become the present and then the past.
So here is to the future, the present and just like that, everything above this line is the past.
Having said this, it is safe to say that time flies. Time, our very own private jet filled with existence in its entirety does not wait, does not halt, does not slow down or speed up at our command. However, there is no need to fear time or resent it for giving and taking from us at leisure. Since we are the pilots flying the jet containing all our time, it is up to us to take off at the beginning of our journey and land safely at the end of it.
Alright, alright, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Take a walk with me and let me tell you something rather extraordinary about the concept of time…
“What is the secret to a long and happy life?” a young boy once asked an old and frail man.
The man slowly answered, “Time.”
“How can time make you happy?” the boy asked with a frown.
“Because time is non-refundable. You need to use it with intention,” the old man smiled.
The boy hesitated before answering, “Well, if it is non-refundable then I would need to rush through it. That would shorten my life, not make it longer.”
“Once you stop rushing through life, you will be amazed at how much life you have time for. You need to understand how important time is. Only then will your perspective on it change,” the old man replied.
The boy chuckled, “And why is it so important?”
“Time is free but it is priceless,” the old man explained. “You can’t own it but you can use it. You can’t keep it but you can spend it. And once you have lost it, you can never get it back. That, my dear boy, is why time is important.”
Not quite grasping the concept of time yet, the boy whispered, “Then how will I know when the right time is for something to be done?”
“You should never wait for time to be right. The time will never be just right. Time is precious and you need to waste it wisely,” the man replied while coughing.
The boy, realising that the old man was very sick, stood up and said sincerely, “Well, then I won’t waste the little time you have left.”
The old man laughed, “Dear boy, the greatest gift we just gave each other was our time. When you give your time to someone, you are giving away a portion of your life you will never get back.”
Feeling honoured, the boy thanked his own time and that of the old man. For a few minutes, he was able to spend time with a man who didn’t have much of it left. And instead of accusing him of wasting precious time, the boy finally understood the concept of time.