My son was grumbling to me about a meeting he was supposed to have with a guy who was considering buying our backhoe.  Amidst the comments, a pearl of wisdom.

The potential buyer was late, unprepared for discussing the equipment, and piddled around while my son’s wife and daughter awaited a promised campfire with their guy.  When the potential buyer left, it was without a thank you for the time or apologies for being late and taking up two hours of time. 

“I can’t get that time back,” my son said.  “We only have a limited number of minutes.  They should all count for something.”

Many influences can distract us from that reality.  Things that lead us to complacency, ambivalence or hopelessness are dangerous, indeed.  Forces or factors that lead us to believe that our time and use of it “does not matter” is insidious.  Many of these conditions come to us via work culture, family life, friends, colleagues or loss of faith.  Stay alert to conditions that make us value moments and minutes less than they deserve.

That is not to say every minute has to be “busy” or “productive.”  Many of my son’s minutes this weekend was spent exploring our place away from places with his daughter (she caught three fish and many more memories).

“A limited number…they should all count for something…” I’m not sure that I will be able to get the words out of my head, and I’m glad for it.

I wished that we had been able to sell the backhoe, but I got a priceless reminder instead.