On A Rainy Day In Nashville…
On a particularly rainy day in Nashville, I commented to a young friend of mine that it was raining cats and dogs. He looked at me like I had five heads. Recognizing the disconnect, I explained America’s use of idioms to my South Korean friend. We had fun with a few others: barking up the wrong tree, counting one’s chickens before they hatch, beating a dead horse, and letting sleeping dogs lie. I had to further explain that not all idioms dealt with animals.
Time is money, for instance. A loose translation might be: Time (like money) is valuable. Every culture understands that to be true. But there are caveats to be shared. Time, in some ways, is not at all like money. All the time in the world won’t make you rich. All the money in the world will. Time can be spent wishing for things you’ve always wanted. Money can be spent and those things can be yours. That’s what culture tells us, anyway. Don’t believe me? Turn on your computer or TV, then get back to me.
But here’s the most obvious difference: You’re more likely to make up for misspent money than you are for misspent time. You can always get more money. You can’t always get more time. And in no area is this more important than in our relationships. I’ve mentioned in other posts that the desires of your heart can be discovered through a quick review of your credit card and bank statements.
But how are we spending our time?
Isn’t that question just as important, if not more so? And since there’s no monthly statement of hours and minutes, we have to be very intentional with how we spend them, don’t we? If we’re not managing our time, then the flow of culture will be happy to. [If you can name at least 3 Kardashians, then you can stop reading this as you’re way too far down river to turn back. I’m kidding. But only a little.] I wouldn’t know a Kardashian if one hit me in the head, but I am indeed, the pot calling the kettle black. Managing time is something I struggle with. So, for all us who have important relationships in our lives, let’s ask ourselves this question:
Where do I need to begin making consistent deposits of time?
Look no further than your 401(k) to see the value here. If you make small deposits each pay period, you’ve seen the balance in your account grow. Small deposits are cumulative – increasing or becoming better over time through a series of additions (Webster). The same principle applies to your relationships. Don’t you want to see them grow as well? I’ve heard it said that the goal of a parent is not to have control – but to have influence. Control is great when I need to keep my 6 year-old from putting the cat in the dryer. But it’s influence that allows the 16-year old to turn to me when culture affords him other options. The nature of your relationship as parent affords you control. The strength of your relationship affords you the influence. And that, my friends, requires time. Make the decision to spend your time (as well as your money) wisely. Again, where do you need to begin making consistent deposits of time?
The ball is in your court. (See what I did there? It was nothing really. Piece of cake. Oh…stop it.)
