Time

“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Last year on New Year’s Eve, we were at the home of close friends, ringing in 2012 with several families.  The children were playing and laughing, the men were doing manly things in the garage, and the women were talking near the kitchen, nibbling on appetizers and enjoying each others’ company.  I felt very blessed to have healthy children, a loving and hardworking husband, and many women to call my good friends.

I didn’t know that exactly 14 days later I would get a call from my sister telling me to get on the next plane to Boston.

I didn’t know that 5 days after that, I would watch my father take his last breath.

How has it already been a year?  We always complain that time passes so quickly, yet it’s always 60 seconds to the minute, 60 minutes to the hour, 24 hours to the day, 7 days to the week.

I don’t make resolutions on New Year’s Eve.  I just think about time – how I use it, how I’ve wasted it, how I can enjoy it more, if I’m devoting enough of it to God, if I’m using it best for my family.

What’s my rose going to be this year?  What’s yours?

OK, I’m getting off my shoebox now.