PRECIOUS TIME

One consequence of living in multiple tensions is that a decision to go somewhere - really matters. 

What I mean is that it has cost a lot to be at a thing; saying yes to it, turning up, being present has also meant saying no to all the other things vying for my time. I’ve considered this worth it.

I suppose there are two ways to view this. First of all, I’m saying that my time, energy and effort are super-expensive. You’re lucky to have me here. In fact, in the great race of things-I-could-be-doing-right-now, this has won, and for whatever reason, I’m expending my most precious resource just to be here, when I could have chosen something else.

If that sounds a little arrogant, I understand. But it’s only because time is not free and life isn’t infinite. If you were down to your last £100 I’m fairly sure you’d be very careful about what you spent it on. In the world of many tensions, you have to make many tough decisions, and one of them is to value your time like the rare and exquisite gift it is.

The second way to look at it is from the point of view of inviting people to something. If resources are stretched, and if they really have said no to a dozen other things they could have been doing, how am I going to make this worthwhile for them, now that they’ve said yes? How can I send them home happy to have been with me, thankful that they spent their time-budget on this event, this conversation, this catch-up? How can I make it worth it?

December’s coming. Sammy and I are planning each day meticulously now, just to make sure we’ve got a great balance in the busiest month. It’s pretty difficult but I guess it starts with that realisation of how valuable our time is. And yours.