Time waits for no one

“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”
~ Charles Darwin

Time waits for no one. But this still doesn’t stop us from thinking time is on our side, and that tomorrow is promised. When we’re overwhelmed with choices, we tend to put off making decisions because we think we have time. We love to think that opportunities will always be there. We love to think that people will always be there. For this reason, we put off making time for them. We put off marriage thinking the other person will wait until we feel the time is right. We put off having children. We put off pursuing an education. We put off traveling. We put off pursuing our dreams.

“Unfortunately, the clock is ticking, the hours are going by. The past increases, the future recedes. Possibilities decreasing, regrets mounting.” ~ Haruki Murakami

We tend to not value things as much as we should because we think there’s always something better waiting if that opportunity goes away. Then one day we look up, and it’s all gone. All the things you put on hold have been claimed by someone who valued it. You look up and realize you now have more time behind you than ahead of you, and regret begins to set in because you didn’t take advantage of the potential blessings that laid before you. The pain of unrealized dreams begins to set in. What could’ve been. What should’ve been. And you have no one to blame but yourself. You had your way of doing things, and there wasn’t any room for flexibility. Your way or the highway. And now you find yourself on a lonely one-way street with no possibility of turning back to choose another path. When you’re young you think you have forever. You don’t. That’s the myth that leads to regret. Youth makes you feel like the world is your oyster, and the options are endless. You think you can pass on a huge blessing and another one will pop up right behind it. And when it doesn’t, and you experience endless setbacks, bitterness takes over. Now you’re jaded because life didn’t go the way you planned. That perfect plan you developed in your early 20s has officially been trashed, and now you’re floating in the wind trying to find something stable to hold on to.

“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Your ego will lead you to think that if someone values you, they’ll wait for you, even if you’re not reciprocating. Your ego will also lead you to believe you’re valuable, and they’re disposable. And if they’re not willing to wait, you have a ton of options, so no need to worry. Yes, they’re waiting in line to be with you. But are they in line to be with “you,” or is it merely a game to conquer you and move on? Not everyone has your best interest at heart and, unfortunately, your time will be wasted on the road to figuring this out. Taking the time to develop your discernment muscles is critical. In a world where superficial displays are rampant, being able to see beyond the flash and bravado is extremely important. Both men and women peacock for the masses to create an image of perceived power. Being able to see into the heart of a person will save you an enormous amount of time. A beautiful heart with good intentions will never waste your time. This doesn’t mean the rose won’t come without thorns, but if you handle it with care and value its presence, the love you receive in return will prove your time well spent.

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