Time is a precious commodity, but it does not last long. So if one has to do something worthwhile, one cannot waste a single moment.
Everyone is familiar with the adage, “time and tide wait for no man”. Our life is made up of a fraction of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. We should utilize each fraction of our time well.
John Erskine, author, professor, and lecturer had said that he learned had said that he learned the most valuable lesson of his life when he was 14.
His piano teacher asked him for how long he had practiced. The boy replied that he practiced for an hour or more. “Don’t do that, “warned the teacher. “When you grow up, time won’t come in long stretches. Practice whenever you can – five or 10 minutes before school, after lunch, between chores. Spread the practice through the day, and music will become a part of your life”.
Erskine stated that the observance of his advice enabled him to live a comparatively complete life as a creative writer, outside his regular duties as an instructor. He wrote most of Helen of Troy, his most famous work, while commuting to work.
Time management consultant Anotonio Herrara asked the participants in a seminar: “If we had to buy time, would there be any difference in how we would spend it? Would the days of our lives be used more wisely? What if you had to pay an advance of Rs.1000 an hour for the time allotted to you? Would you waste it?” The answer should be obvious.
Time is precious. It is not to be wasted. Ruskin says, “Time is more precious than any other precious stone. “ A moment lost is lost forever. So value each moment, as this poem so beautifully communicates:
- To realize the value of one year,
Ask a student who failed in his or her final exams. - To realize the value of 1 month,
Ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. - To realize the value of one week,
Ask an editor of a weekly magazine. - To realize the value of one day,
Ask a daily wage labourer who has six children to feed. - To realize the value of one hour,
Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet - To realize the value of one minute,
Ask a person who missed his train. - To realize the value of one second,
Ask a person who survived an accident. - To realize the value of one millisecond,
Ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
