Time To Live

     The longer I live the more I realize just how precious a thing time is. Time is our most valuable resource. It is the one thing that we would all like to have more of. The sad truth, though, is that most of us waste far too much of our time here just existing and spend far too little of our time here really living.

     I decided recently that I wanted to spend as much time as I possibly could in my own life truly living. I didn't want to just exist. I didn't want to spend hours each day running from job to job, chore to chore, errand to errand, and activity to activity. I wanted to spend my days, hours, and moments loving, learning, and growing. I wanted to spend my time helping, caring, and sharing.  I wanted to have the time of my life living the way God meant for me to.

     Now days you won't find me on the road quite so often then. I try to combine my errands and limit my trips as much as possible. It gives me more time to read a good book with a cat sleeping on my lap and a dog curled up at my feet. Now days you won't find me watching so much television either. I find that time better spent going for walks, hugging my sons, talking with my daughter, and writing words like the ones you are reading here. Now days you won't find me restlessly looking for more work to do as well. I find that time better spent thinking of God, watching the sunset, singing a song, and laughing with my family and friends. The funny thing too is that now that I am giving myself time to live I find myself doing better and accomplishing more than I ever did before. Most of all, though, my time is now spent joyously and my days on Earth feel closer to Heaven.

     Abraham Lincoln said, "It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." May all of us then have the time of our lives truly living the days and years God gives us here.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella (joecool@wirefire.com) -- {used with permission} ]