Time is precious. Time is limited. Time is free and ours to use as we desire whether we prefer to spend time with our family, exercising, baking or shopping, etc…time is what shapes our lives.
Most often we believe we have too little time as evidenced by the harried over-scheduling of ourselves and our children, stressed out family members frequenting drive by fast food restaurants rather than sitting down together as a family and partaking in a home cooked meal and actually sharing the day’s events.
One parent is crazily driving to dance instruction or scouts with one kid, at the same time as the other parent is madly maneuvering soccer practice or band, or religion or after school events. That is assuming they are an element of a two parent family unit with two children. What about the single parent family with more children heading off in various directions?
You are currently chuckling and chortling while nodding your head because you know what I’m talking about- you’ve been a victim of these circumstances more moments than not. I presume within the most recent week you’ve experienced these precise happenings. We certainly have had our share.
Many questions abound such as to why we feel compelled to over-schedule ourselves? Why do we insist on stressing ourselves out when we have choices? Does this life of pressure, tension and anxiety enhance the quality of our lives?
As each person is responsible for answering those questions for themselves and their family, I think I’ll just sit back for the next three weeks as I am ‘tracked out’. This is one of the luxuries of teaching in a year round school; I have time off every nine weeks to rest, relax and rejuvenate. Ahhh, I can ponder what activity will fill my minutes …will it be curling up with a book? Perhaps watching an old movie, definitely writing or taking my son to the driving range?
Ummm, maybe we’ll go for a walk at Umstead Park and we won't forget the camera since the weather is going to be lovely here all week. (See for yourself !)We could possibly scrapbook, or play hockey or go bowling? Whatever activity we choose to engage in I will keep the following thought in mind…
“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” By Bertrand Russell
37 comments:
Oh I do love that quote. I love my 'putzing' time... :)
Families together is a hard item to do, we all should make some time to do so.We had two bare spots in our yard where we played catch withmy dad. Sports rotated with the seasons, and board games are always my favorite. I got out a Sorry game last night with a few kids I am sitting with and they lacked the patience to finish.Will try another one today, I have a box full.This is a funeral weekend for a lady I helped with for Hospice, I cornered the kids.
Hmmmm, love the quote. I'm enjoying my time right now in the blogverse. I have a goodie for you!
I've never been one to over schedule myself or my son. While I think it is important to keep busy, I do enjoy the quiet times. Sometimes there is nothing wrong with curling up on the couch with a good book and a cup of tea. No guilt here! :)
Enjoy your well-deserved break! Wish there were more year-round schools in the U.S.
I rarely feel guilty about how I spend my time, whether busy or curled on the sofa with a book. Each day's kinda a mini adventure that excites.
I seriously doubt you are a time waster. I think it's very good to take some time to play. All work and no play is a bad thing for you and your family. Play with no guilt.
I hope you enjoy your break. It sounds like it will be time well spent. I like that quote too. :)
I used to waste my time watchin soap opera's.. NO MORE~! 3 hours of my day wasted~!
My husband thinks I'm wasting my time with my blogger friends. (He watches TV non-stop).
I put a note on my computer.. "I love my computer because my friends live in it".. Ha Ha..
Have a great time with your son and enjoy the day what ever it brings.
Have a tiggeriffic day~! Read the book called "The Help".. that is a good book and worth your time to sit and relax..
ta ta for now from Iowa:)
Well, I LOVE that last comment!! So wasted time is not wasted after all! Life is so fleeting and uncertain, and I think we all want to squeeze as much into it as we can, to make the most of every minute! But God does tell us to take time to be still. And rest on the Sabbath. So following these orders is definately not wasted!! Glad to hear that YOU will be getting some down time and rest!
Although we never had children, I can imagine from my nieces/nephews schedules how hard it is to juggle everything. I do know from my experience as a caregiver for many family members how very precious time is. Don't waste one precious moment.
Wishing you and yours a sweet Valentine's Day.
I agree, we fill up our lives with so many unnecessary things. As I was raising my 8 kids, I had to be so organized to keep up with it all and it nearly got the best of me, but we made it through! I think kids and parents need to back off, slow down and enjoy each other more, :D
Enjoy your break!! Sometimes we think time controls us completely but really we are able to turn things round too and make time our own and use it as we wish!
Have a fantastic time with your family! Take care
x
Turning off the TV is a real good start. As for the internet, I consider that it allows me to be creative rather than simply an audience. That said, the internet can be overdone too. Question is, am I using the time the way God wants?
I agree with you Tracy -- some people are so busy running from one event or restaurant to the next, you wonder how much of their lives is spent going to, standing in line, then going back home. I'd rather spend as much time as I can here at home or outside -- away from all that mess! :)
I completely agree that most of us are over scheduled. Not enough down time leads to high stress levels. I work in the same field you do and that in itself can be quite stressful so I make sure my time away from work is all about me.
Great post.
Ah, GOOD--enjoy yourself! We Americans are way too stressed and busy for our own good. Not sure why we think we have to be...so relax and have fun.
Year round eh? Our school system had talked about doing it once a long time ago. But they told me that I would have to work during ALL the tracks with only a couple weeks off a year. I thought it wouldn't be bad if after four years I had an extra year towards retirement. The system told me it didn't work that way, hence I'm glad we never went to year round.
I love that quote. Enjoy your down time. We should all stop and smell the roses as often as we can.
I'm very glad to know that catnip and napping is not wasted time!!!
I love that quote!
Hi Tracy, Great post.... I never seem to have time to WASTE ---but then again, I'm always doing what I want to do these days--which is different from what I used to do (when I was working fulltime and raising kids)...
My best friend schedules herself unlike anyone I have ever seen. She NEVER EVER has time for her --or for her and her hubby. The only time they have time for each other is when they go out-of-town together. Their adult kids/grands expect them to do everything for them --and they DO... I have NEVER scheduled myself that way.
I love that quote... I don't think of anything I do as 'wasting' time...
Great post.
Hugs,
Betsy
Enjoyed your blog and thoughts on time. Time has always been precious to me. Even more so as I am getting older. Thanks for reminding us all to not take it for granted. One thing for sure, if you had a pink scooter, your students might give you more attention than you wanted. Thanks for visiting and your comment. I appreciate it.
Tracy, your write is wonderfully presented. We take so many things for granted in life ... thank you for your sweet visit.
Happy Valentine's ~
TTFN ~
Marydon
Those are very good questions and I wish I had a good answer for them all! It is true that so many people seem to thrive on hectic schedules because it makes them feel useful and necessary. I don't have the "relax" gene at all and even though I try relaxing techniques they never work!
Thanks for pawticipating in my Silly Saturday Photo Caption contest today! I thought your caption was funny!
YES!! and more...you are so correct, we have to de-clutter our lives and get back to what is important. Time is in short supply but like you said we have choices. Then when we do de-clutter we find we have so much more time.
That is super you have a year around school, I think they will be doing that here. I have heard it on TV.
I hope you enjoy your 3 weeks off and especially with your son.
Gal, I just saw your warm up, so if you are getting 70. I have not looked at our forecast but I gather we are too. Those robins will be there before you know it staking claim.
Have a super time.
Oh I think I may be submitting two posts, because something strange happened when I hit the post button, but I just wanted to tell you that I hope you will enjoy your time off and above all to relish being with family. I wish I could again just have ONE minute with my son Jake, but when it is gone...it is just gone. At least on this earth. Love to you, Mollye
Even when they were in elementary school, I treasured the "time" I spent with my children just talking to them. Doing nothing but enjoying their precious company. I still enjoy that sort of activity.
Best,
Bonnie
Totally agree with Bertrand. When I was growing up we did not have all these activities. Instead we ate at the table as a family, played games as a family and listened to one another as a family.
Wouldn't trade any of that for a soccer game that I would not be able to remember.
Declutter and enjoy. That walk sounds perfect.
I need that time to "waste" or I go a little crazy!
yes, yes, yes. Such great points! It's true that time "wasted" is often good time--and always if it's spent with loved ones. Thanks, Trace~ :o) <3
Wow glad I came by today for this post. I really agree with the quote and that you should enjoy every minute of your days off.
Glad the weather is suppose to be pretty for you too. Relax and enjoy
Love
Maggie
Even in retirement, you can certainly get to busy and caught up in things that you wished you hadn't signed up for. After 50 years in ministy without a Sabattical, Don and I are giving ourselves permission to take a month or more off from the responsibilies and obligations of the little Church we started attending after our retirement. It's just great to stop and smell the roses, to sleep in, and share a cuppa coffee with each other, to snuggle up with a good book and not look at the clock for hours...
Thanks for your inspiration...Everyone needs to take your advice.
No, I didn't get a new Valentine made this year. It's on my list for next year. Thanks for stopping by.
These are definitely thoughts for our times. I believe that being consciously aware, and trying to "stay in the moment" can be helpful and enlightening. Taking time-outs is healthy for all both mentally and physically. Good luck with that! Thanks, Tracy, for checking in with me.
dulcy
Life is so crazy, IF we allow it to be. You have to really make the effort NOT to overschedule your family and kids. Ugh.
Breathe deep, my friend, and enjoy your time off. I used to do that during the summers when my kids were younger. We didn't sign up for a darn thing and it was lovely. I wish I had those lazy summers back again. :)
I so agree with you! I think time spent doing nothing is absolutely some of the best time spent! :D
And then when the children are grown things really change!
Now that our five kids are all grown and gone, we got to take a breat or two. Now that there are grandkids, the business started all over again! It's much easier now... Hang in there!
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