This week, thoughts turn to giving.
Our time-saving devices seem to leave us with less time than ever before. In a world where the latest is bigger, better and faster, there is as much competition for our time as there is for our money. Messages intrude every corner of our space and it’s getting so we can’t go to the toilet without someone offering to sell us something.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a land not so far away, people used to make gifts for each other. I remember sewing a kit for my mom’s cake-decorating tools and baking a big basket of treats for my brother to take with him in his tow-truck. One year, I stitched 8 matching monogrammed Christmas stockings for everyone in my family and I still see them when I make the trip for the holiday.
This year, many are re-considering the intentions behind giving presents. Shopping has become bargain-hunting and we seem busier than before. What we want more than ever is a just a bit of time to connect with each other. Children beg for working parents’ attention. Friends compete with employers for their friend’s time. The obligations of family sometimes overshadow the joy of just being together. Trips home for the holidays become packed schedules as we try to fit everyone in. Quiet time alone is a luxury many only dream of.
So, here’s an idea … a take a quick look at your list and see who you would like to spend a bit of time with in the new year. You can package your time with a nice meal at a favorite restaurant, schedule some time out in nature, book a date for spa treatment with a friend, sign up for a workshop or get involved in a community organization with someone you love. When you’re ready to keep it really simple, give the gift of spontaneity — like a blank check for random time together when you need it most. When it comes right down to it, time is all we’ve got and we always have as much as the next person. It’s how we choose to spend it that counts.
Who will you gift some of your precious time ?
Listen to your own heartbeat.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill
