Time Is Love

     In last month's column “How Much Is Your Time Worth?”, I made this statement: “Time is love.” What exactly does this little three-word sentence mean?
     What is the most effective way of showing love to other people? Would it be best to give that special person in your life an expensive gift? Maybe if you said “I love you” more often, your family member or friend would know how much they mean to you. But a more powerful way to show love to someone is to spend time with that person.
     There are many ways to spend quality time with someone. The simple act of taking time out of your busy day to listen to someone is appreciated more than you know. By doing this, you are basically saying to the other person “You matter to me and I care about you and what you have to say.”
     Now you might be thinking “But my schedule is so busy! I can barely fit everything in as it is.” In this case, you might want to think about your priorities in life. If most of your time is consumed by work or obligations, you might want to consider a change of pace. Ask yourself who or what is most important to you. Remember that it is entirely within your power to make time for your family and those closest to you. If your daily schedule tends to exclude your loved ones, you might want to think about the three-word sentence “Time is love” - then go do something about it.
     Visit that old family friend who's in the nursing home while you still can. Write to your parents who live out-of-state and let them know you're thinking about them. Spend time with your child before she grows up and moves away from home.
     You might be tempted to lavish your child with the things money can buy. But the love you show him by spending time with him far outweighs the latest “must-have” gadgets. The gift most appreciated from my parents was when they would give me a moment of their time, whether that was a walk through the woods, a chance to sit down together and talk, or a critique of my latest piece of artwork.

     You know you can't take it with you. So why spend extra time building it up? Instead, spend time building relationships. As you grow closer to others, they tend to get closer to you.