MARCH Blog

March 12 (from book "Jumbo Jumble")

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Give me your time, and I’ll grant you serenity

SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?' 
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.' 
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied. 'Daddy, may I borrow $25?' 

The father was furious, 'You march yourself straight to your room and think about why you are being so selfish.’ After about an hour or so, the man went to the little boy's room. ’I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the father. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.' 

"Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. 
‘Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled. 
‘Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied. 
'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.' 
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness. 

JR: What is the value of working hard and making a lot of money if you ignore those who are most important to you? We’ve come to treasure being busy over spending time with loved ones. When you get old, you are much more likely to remember the precious times you had with family and friends than the work you were doing. Sharing time and experiences with the people you really care for brings both immediate gratification and remains as a treasure which can be dug up for recollection time and again in the future.
PP: Give your undivided attention to someone close to you for 15 minutes. Your completely BEING THERE for her is much more important than the amount of time spent. Create an atmosphere enabling both of you to share deeply.
PA: Being the hypocrite that I am, I preach on the need to make time for meditative reflection and spending quality time with people, only to end up having so much on my plate that I rarely do either. While this book uplifts me day after day, I usually rush through the day’s passage since my mind is boggled with what has to be done. It has taken the passing of a dear friend to realize the error of my ways. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Create the space to uplift your spirit daily and treasure the good people in your life.