“Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin into the future.” These famous song lyrics from the Steve Miller Band remind me that seconds turn into minutes, which turn into hours, days, months and years. Time indeed moves on without considering us. But, we need to consider how we move with time. 

Allocated Time

  Time flows and though we cannot stop the clock, replay life in slow motion, or edit how we expend our time in any given day, we do have the power to choose how we portion out our time each day. We have twenty-four hours every day. How well we live or squander those hours is up to us.

My Grandma Weber led an orderly life. Though I only lived with her for a few months during my tumultuous teen years, the influence she had in my life has lasted my whole life.

Living with her gave me the advantage of watching how she lived an orderly life. Grandma assigned chores for each day of the week. Whether housecleaning, laundry, shopping, writing letters to her family or baking, she had a plan for every day and followed that plan. She didn’t get distracted nor did she dilly dally. As a result, she accomplished whatever she needed to accomplish for that particular day.  

Though friends would call her on the phone to talk, she did not spend too much time talking on the phone. She liked watching television, but she only watched her favorite programs; Monday night wrestling and The Johnny Carson show. 

She knew her soul needed good nourishment and nourished it on a regular basis. She’d sit in silence  sometimes in church, and sometimes on her front porch swing. 

With four children of her own and sixteen grandchildren, spending time with the family was important to her. But, she knew she could not attend every baptism, every graduation, or every wedding. She had a good understanding of her level of energy and attended only those functions that meant something to her. 

Living with Grandma for the short amount of time that I did taught me some of the most valuable lessons. 

First of all, Grandma set her priorities and did not wait for someone else to do it for her. Although there are a plethora of choices to be made every day, keeping our selection limited to those that benefit our priorities keeps us on the right track and off the track of distractions.

Secondly, Grandma loved people. But, her time was not filled to the brim with social activities. Here again, she limited herself to the best ones, the ones that meant the most to her, the ones that filled her with joy.  

Why bother allocating our time? Our time here on Earth is limited. Knowing how to distribute our time in the best ways, gives us the best lives.