The Most Precious of Commodities
Five weeks ago, someone in our family entered the hospital. Since this individual likes their privacy, I shall refer to them as CFM for Close Family Member.
It has been very difficult for all of us to deal with the situation, but CFM is making progress slowly and surely. I want to make sure that I thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for CFM. Please keep them coming, as they can use all the help they can get.
Between work and home, I stay pretty busy. There’s always something requiring my attention at either place. Most weeks, I’m able to find a little side time to write but with the Stanley Cup playoffs demanding my attention, I let the writing slide off. When this sudden event occurred to our CFM, my time priorities shifted without hesitation. While I can’t change my work schedule, the time I spend off duty was altered. Now I had two families to worry about: the one at home and the one in the hospital. This is the distilled version, but I know there are many of you that can relate to this exact scenario and now I number as one amongst you. I could not do it without a supportive spouse who understands this all too well as she has recently gone through a similar situation with her own family and is very concerned for CFM.
Time is something that we either have too much of or not enough. It’s measured in minutes and hours, and according to Merriam-Webster, time is the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues, But I don’t think that’s the true definition. To me, time is the thing you don’t get back. It’s something that you give and spend regularly, but we only have so much of it until the sands of the hourglass run out. You can’t save it until you need it or want it, and oftentimes it feels as if it’s usually taken away from us.
So I say instead of being the victim, be the one who takes time instead. Take the time to break away from work for a few minutes to just clear your head and breathe fresh air outside. Take the time to walk through the garden section at Lowe’s and enjoy the flowers before heading inside to buy parts for your project. Take the time to send a text to someone you just thought about but haven’t spoken to in a while. Take the time to express your feelings towards one another in the middle of a hectic day. It may only take a moment, but those moments become memories that stay with us.
Through all of this, I’m trying to give myself time as well because all of this has been extremely taxing. Whether I’m working out or sitting quietly, I try to let myself heal mentally and spiritually so that I can continue to give my time and strength to those that need it. My hopes are lifted by the amount of progress that CFM has made and greatly admire their tenacious stubbornness to live.
You don’t realize how much time you really have until it’s gone and now I’m praying for our CFM to continue getting healthier so that we all may be able to get time to make more memories. After all, life is about the journey. Everyone gets to the end eventually, but who we walk with along the way is what makes it worthwhile.
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