There are moments when we feel we don’t have enough, and then there are moments when we feel like we have too much to bear.
The most precious gift that we can give to another is our time. Undivided attention for just a moment or two. It is hard to do, until you learn to do it freely and on demand.
It’s a balancing act. Learning to know when someone is being an attention whore or when someone needs, and yes I mean needs, your time. Just a moment of it.
I went to the post office and then to Wal*Mart. I have been in my head lately, counting the hours, days and weeks until I mark a year here in New Hampshire. Do I stay or do I go.
I also complicated my life here by giving too much time to things and people that really don’t matter or need that much of my time. Some of my time is an investment in establishing myself here. Some of it is given solely to make my life easier. The later being a heavy price to pay.
A line from a song comes to mind (yes, I am ADD and all over the place – the dots will connect, I promise). “I can’t afford to care.”
I have been eating out on the beach lately. Spending money I honestly cannot afford to spend. I can’t spend any more time earning money – I have very little time left for that. I was focused, oh so focused, while walking through Wal*Mart. Two items. Two. No more. Grape Nuts and those pads you put in shoes to keep them from slipping off your heel. Two.
I was focused. Overly focused. I have little to no self-control while shopping. I also need to move out soon. As in SOON.
A woman approached me. She asked if I knew anything about horoscopes. I didn’t, but I could Google it for her. She simply wanted to purchase a tee-shirt with the correct horoscope for her daughter, who was into astrology.
It took 15 minutes to find the information. More than just a moment. However, it was the most fun I have had in a very long time.
Wal*Mart isn’t kind to cell phone service from the start, much less internet service. We moved around the store eventually going toward the door to even get 1 bar of service. All the while we were giggling and rerouting traffic from the aisles we were dominating.
She thanked me from the bottom of her heart for helping her. It was me that was grateful. She reminded me of how precious my time and attention is, when I allow myself to do things that fill me with pleasure and joy.
Such a simple thing. Time. To be so complex, it is simple. Don’t rush. Rushing only makes time move faster and us more tired. Slow, steady and with purpose makes it all balance out.
Time. Time spent with a temporary friend made at a store. Casual conversation with others while stuck on the expressway for hours after a horrible wreck. Time used well. Shared time is so precious. It is a gift that we can offer others, and if we accept it, we can receive the same from others.
Nothing feels as awesome as someone taking a few moments of their precious time and gifting it to us with their help, knowledge or company.
I am glad that I decided to drive all the way to Wal*Mart just to save a few bucks on my cereal. I gained so much more.
