Time the WA Way

160 followers

4 years ago

I learned about time at the right time in life. Time is precious and valuable.

Growing up in a home with eleven siblings and myself, making the count twelve. Can you imagine? Twelve children can even put a strain on time. For some unknown reason, we are forced to believe that we don't have enough time to get things done that we are required to do.

Do We Have Enought Time?

Actually, we waste time, or procrastinate, because we claim we lack time. Growing up was very time challenging. If I wanted to get to school before the first attendance bell range, I better get up before the other eight girls. I had to shower, rummage through my closet, or my sister's closets for something to wear. This had to be done without starting a "That is mine" closet war. Then, run downstairs for a full course breakfast. Eat, clear the table and wash your own plate. There were still chores to be done before leaving the house for school.

The Time Problem

The problem with being first each morning meant I had to feed the dog and take the dog out for his business. I am already exhausted from trying to be first, now I have to walk to school, no bus ride for us! My generation walked! Hence the phrase; "We walked a country mile". We had twenty minutes walk time to school, regardless of the weather conditions. Unless of course, there was a snow day. But, if school was open, I had better walk faster. In other words: "Hurry Up"! Because, having to do chores before leaving home was not an excuse to be late to school.

Time has its reward

Needless to say, I was never late to school. I always received recognition the "Scarlet and Grey" certification for best attendance. Being on time or fifteen minutes earlier has been in my DNA for more years than I care to remember.

As an adult, more stress was placed on time. Someone time conscious genius coined the phrase "Time Management". You would think I would have this management of time under control after leaving a household full of siblings. But, it is quite different when you are in control of your own house.

Time Management Skills

I am now married with children, 4 sons, 3 dogs, and an assortment of other creatures the children bring home. I am now trying to manage getting 4 boys dressed, fed, dropped off at day care. I am not so sure about time management at this point. Does it really exist? I know that something always get forgotten. Usually, it is someone failed to take out the dogs, I forgot to take food out of the freezer to thaw in time for dinner after working 8-4, 9-5, or even third shift schedule.

The skills of cooking dinner, toss in the laundry, assign kitchen duty, referee the fights, insist that the children take their bath without the dogs!

Do you have Personal Time?

Did someone say, "take time for yourself"? What time is personal, I ask? Rush, rush, rush, Hurry, hurry, hurry. "There is no time like the present? Seriously!

But here is what I have learned and want to share it with you. There is only time in the present moment.

The Present!

I have learned, that no matter what is happening in our lives, we all have the same amount of time. It becomes a personal matter of how we want to use our precious and valuable time.

This is a short story I want to share with you on how to solve the problem of time, reap the rewards, manage your skills, and bathe in personal time..

While living in West Africa, everyday, Monday to Friday, every major business would close its doors at noon until 3 p.m. (banks and stores). Why?

It's Tea Time

During the time the businesses are closed, it is tea time. I am not talking about drop a tea bag into hot water. No, I mean tea preparation. Tea preparation is a science. You first must pick the tea from our own tea garden. Yes, almost every family has a tea garden, and not in a terracotta pot.

The tea you pick, has to be washed and brewed for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Sugar is the key ingredient. You are probably trying to imagine a tea pot sitting on the stove. No, you have to kindle a fire outside. A test of your skills. The family tea pot will only serve two people in a "shot glass" size cup.

After the peaceful, personal time, tea ceremony, people return to work until 5 p.m. Finished working for the day!

The Significance of Rest

The significance of the this short tea story is this: Do Not rush or be in a hurry. Time is not always about money. You know the phrase, "Time is Money". Time is about pleasure and enjoyment of the great gift of life. Greatness takes time to brew. We are all striving to reach our own greatness, therefore, we must allow time for the bitter-sweetness of tea. Regardless of how much or how little time we have, we can always enjoy the pleasure of sharing that small amount of time with others. W may not have the skills to brew tea the African Way. But, this is how we do it, the WA way!

Time, the WA Way

Here at WA, we know the value of sharing our time. I want to give a Shout Out and Thank You to each and everyone for giving your precious and valuable time to myself and to the WA Community. I leave with you a poem from one of my favorite writers:

"Time is not measured by the years that you live. But, by the deeds that you do and the joy that you give. And, each day as it comes brings a change to each one to love to the fullest, leaving nothing undone that would brighten the life or lighten the load of some weary traveler lost on ife's Road. So, what does it matter how long we may live if as long as we live, we unselfishly give." Helen Steiner Rice

I personally want to again thank the WA Community, Kyle and Carson for giving unselfishly your time.