Like Sands Through the Hourglass

What would you do if someone -- a stranger -- reached slowly, casually, into your pocket or purse and proceeded to take your wallet? You might say, "excuse me?" or "may I help you?" or you might smack their hand or jump back. Regardless, you would be horrified by the blatant audacity. The ludicrous assumption that taking something so precious and so, well, "not yours" was OK.

But that is exactly what we allow to happen on a pretty regular basis. Allow me...

I believe when we are born, we come into this world with all the currency that we'll ever have and that will ever truly matter -- time. Think about it. You might have said real estate or stocks or plain, old, cold, hard cash but you'd be wrong. It takes time to attain all those other treasures. And regardless of how much of the other you have, you can't buy more time. That simple.

So, it goes without saying that I get frustrated when people waste my time. They're robbing me. Whether it's a rude sales person or a less-than-brilliant server in a restaurant or a clueless help desk or customer service rep, it boils down to the same concept:  time is money. Spend it wisely.

"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

And I won't quote it here but if you're not familiar with the "Marbles" story, follow this link (click here).