Earlier this week, I had a really good conversation with my brother about priorities, the elusive work-life balance, and the challenges of carving out enough time to write/be creative. I tried to quote something apt but couldn’t remember it properly, so I thought I’d look it up for you now. Hang on… Here you go:
Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
Carl Sandburg
Now, I know how I *want* to spend the coin of my life, but I often forget to say ‘no’ to non-essential time-sucks. How about you?
5 responses to “Finding the time”
I never thought about time that way before, but it makes sense. It also makes me want to waste a lot less of my own time.
I definitely need to spend more time on good stuff.
Hi Liz. Thanks for visiting and commenting and good luck with your plan!
Yes, you’re right; that is a mighty fine quote… it was pretty good even when you were paraphrasing it during our conversation.
It’s very easy to get a bit ‘folksy’ and twee with the homespun aphorisms masquerading as wisdom, but I also like this one which, regrettably, is unattributed:
“Life is not a journey to the grave with intentions of arriving safely in a pretty well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming … WOW! What a ride!”
If it were a little pithier, I’d have that as my motto.
Thanks, Matthew! And I love your quote, too… I think it already *is* your motto ;o) xx
It certainly is and when said brother is being more pithy he remembers that his motto is “sleep when you are dead”.