The Currency of Time

If there is only one thing you read today make it this!

Reflect for a moment: What holds the utmost importance in your life on this Earth? Consider it deeply before journeying further. Now, undoubtedly, our answers may differ, yet beneath the surface, they converge into a shared truth, one we may not fully recognize?just yet. The true currency of our lives is not monetary; it's a gift bestowed upon us by the divine.

God grants each of us a predetermined amount of this invaluable currency at birth, that currency is time. Unchangeable, known only to God, it is ours to spend, to cherish, to enjoy. More precious than any material wealth, time renders all other forms of currency irrelevant when it runs out. Ask a parent who has endured the loss of a child—what do they value in that moment? Not their possessions or money, but the currency of time spent with their child. In retrospect, many would surrender all they possess to reclaim those fleeting moments.

Time is a treasure, often unnoticed until it slips away. Picture time as a unique currency—pennies for minutes, nickels for weeks, dimes for months and dollars for years. The distribution may not align with monetary logic, but that's not the essence. We each receive our share, a gift from above, and the randomness of it all reminds us to embrace what we have without resistance.

How will you spend your currency, this precious time gifted by God? Every second, a brushstroke crafting the masterpiece of your life. Consider, will there be a ledger one day, detailing the currency spent on negative emotions versus positive ones? Lust, envy, jealousy, strife, discontent, ungratefulness, shame, anger, and hate versus love, joy, happiness, gratefulness, humility, kindness, contentment, and encouragement. Every thought and emotion cost us the currency of time. If these were items on a shelf, no one would willingly choose the negative. Yet, daily, we allocate our currency to things we don't truly desire, and wonder why they manifest in our lives.

Happiness, a choice ever-present, is not dependent on external circumstances. It's a matter of spending your currency on thoughts that bring joy. The rich man and the grateful man share the same 24 hours. While the rich invest in thoughts of wealth, the grateful invest in thoughts of gratitude and joy. Happiness doesn't demand perfect decisions, just a joyful heart.

Today, gifted with the currency of time, how will you spend it? Every second, thought, and word is a transaction shaping the portrait of your life. As we approach Thanksgiving, close your eyes and revisit a cherished meal. Visualize the room, and you may notice loved ones whose currency has expired. Some of the most extraordinary souls you have ever known won't be at your table today. Reflect—would you trade the currency spent on that meal for anything else? Chances are you wouldn't.

Oh, the moments we'd give anything to relive, like my grandfather's playful question about how a horse bites an apple, accompanied by a hearty squeeze on the leg that would send me screaming and fighting to get away. Time and currency are not promised to us in abundance, so savor the present. At the Thanksgiving table today, take a mental picture of the cherished moment, for a day may come when that photo is but a memory. Choose to spend your currency on what truly matters—friends, family, love, joy, kindness, and gratefulness. Invest in those moments and thoughts that bring you joy. It's a currency well spent, and in doing so, your cup will overflow with blessings. Happy Thanksgiving on this November 23, 2023.