The Gift of Time

A quiet, chilly early morn

On most gift giving occasions my husband, and children ask me the proverbial question: "What do you want?" One time when I didn't answer, my children, when they were very young, got me marzipan pigs, because my husband was convinced that I liked marzipan. I've never eaten marzipan nor have I ever tasted it, but I must have to know that I don't like it.

I used to ask my mom what she wanted, but she eventually had everything... Clothes, jewelry, perfumes, vases, glass flowers, slippers, stuff for the house, my pottery, my paintings, my drawings, (see art stays with a parent long after the child is all grown up - those A papers, those A math tests - GONE! But the art stayed:-). Still, after awhile, she didn't really want anything, but my time.

Time - a very precious commodity indeed.

Mr. Scott, our stepfather and dear mom

When my mom was yet with us, I admit, I was at times perturbed that mom always asked why I hadn't called her on any particular day, if I missed a day... She always wanted to know "when" I was coming next to see her - sometimes even before I had left from a visit... Oftentimes, she would delay my leaving by asking for some frivolous duty to be done, that would keep me by her side...  Now, I understand, why.

Time is very precious. You don't get to have it back, once it's spent. (I think I blogged about this before). Everyone gets only so much "time" to spend, but once it's spent it's gone - the moment is a memory or history or not or worst - wasted.

This season of giving - look to give what truly matters most - your precious time. Sit with someone, loved or just liked or an enemy or even a stranger and listen to what they have to say and insist that they listen to you too. Talk to them about what's important or even what's silly and make them laugh or let them cry with you. Don't stop the giving of your time with the end of this Christmas season, but get into the habit of "giving" your time - it's priceless - like Jesus.

Merry Christmas