The True Present is the Gift of Time.

It’s almost time!

Those are the words that seemed to echo everywhere throughout December as the annual countdown to Christmas and New Year began. Whether it was counting down the days until winter break, the last day for online orders to ensure timely gift delivery, the excitement of the elves' visit heralding Santa's arrival, or the peak of Christmas morning and celebrating Jesus's birth, it felt like those days couldn't pass quickly enough. The phrase "hurry up and wait" resonated with everyone, as the question "is it time yet?" was on everyone's lips!

Ironically, those same words are still being spoken now that we're in January, but this time they're accompanied by a sense of apprehension and dread as both children and adults realize the return to their regular routine is imminent! Christmas decorations are coming down, reminders of "resolutions" and "diets" are everywhere, and stores are filled with red and pink as the focus shifts to the next holiday - Valentine's Day.

Time. It's the one constant in this world! Seconds become minutes, minutes turn into hours, and before we know it, days have turned into weeks, months, years, and beyond. Everywhere we look, there's pressure to meet a deadline, focus on what's coming next, or plan for something so distant it seems nebulous. The truth is, no matter how much or how little time we have, it will never feel like enough. The weekend is a welcome sight after a busy week, yet when Monday morning arrives, we wonder if we even had those two days at home; an amazing vacation feels endless until the final day comes, and we have to pack to leave; and when we lose someone dear, we long for just one more moment to feel their warm embrace and hear their gentle voice telling us “I love you”.

We are not promised an easy life; we are not promised a life filled with rainbows and unicorns; and we are not promised that every part of our lives will be problem-free, where only happiness fills our days. The truth is, we will never control the intangibility of time, yet our ability to choose how we respond to life's journey is something that will always be ours to decide.

So as you hear the call of work in the coming days, or feel the dread of catching that bus to school on Monday, perhaps embracing it as something you "get" to do - or even "choose" to do - can remind you of just how precious each moment is. The reality is that it IS time; it is time for you to embrace life, live it to the fullest, and make the most of what this day, and this day alone, offers you.

Tick tock, tick tock….