As we go deeper into this topic of time, its limited nature, and what could be the ideal way of making use of it, it might seem like we are getting nowhere, like there is no final conclusion being reached. While I would say it’s true that it’s almost impossible for a definite conclusion to be reached when it comes to this topic, I actually think the fact that it’s so hard to arrive at a conclusion is one of the biggest clues we have when it comes to how we are meant to fill up the days of our lives. What exactly is the cause for so much confusion anyway? Why can we not agree on what the right way to spend our time is? I think the confusion arises because there is simply too much data for any one person to properly take into consideration. Confusion is inevitable simply because there is no black and white when it comes to time, and that’s a really important concept to understand. Like I’ve mentioned before in this series of posts, every action we take is a sacrifice. Every decision we make requires us to discard other possibilities, countless other possibilities, in fact. I make decisions based on what is right for me and those who depend on me, and I would expect you to do the same. How can I tell you, then, what the right way to live your life is when I don’t know what sacrifices you are willing to make, and what are the things that truly make you happy? How can you tell me what sacrifices I should make in my life when you don’t know what’s truly important to me, and what I’m willing or not willing to do to achieve my dreams? There is a large portion of the world’s population, for example, that would assure you that they do know what the right way to spend one’s time is, and that whoever spends their time differently is simply wasting their time, something which they are bound to regret eventually. These people will tell you that time is money. Because life in the materialistic society we live in revolves around money, these people will tell you that time is only worth spending if the end result is money. They might see young people partying, travelling, or buying gaming systems or electronic equipment or whatever else, and in their minds, they are probably convinced that these young people are sure to regret their decisions later in life. They might be right, but then again, they might be wrong. Am I saying that we shouldn’t make money, or that we should spend every dollar we earn and never save a penny? No, I’m not saying that either, there’s obviously a balance to be found. However, what exactly is that balance? For me, buying a game console might seem like a waste of money, and therefore a waste of the time I spent making that money, since I don’t play too many videogames, while to a gamer, spending thousands of dollars on music gear is probably an equal waste of time and money. You might save every penny you earn, and maybe that makes you happy because you are sure that what you truly want is a big house and a nice car, which you will be able to afford in the future. Others might save most of the money they earn, while spending a bit here and there on fun. Others might spend all of their money, never saving a single dollar. I might say that the last one is wrong, and that they will regret their decisions in the future, and I might be right, but I also might be wrong. I would be right if that person is buying on impulse, but it could also be the case that that person has calculated the financial sacrifice they are making, but that they are willing to make such a sacrifice in order to gain pleasure or inspiration or whatever they are hoping to get from the product or experience they have purchased. It seems unlikely to is, but it is not impossible. How often should you go out with friends? How often should you eat at a restaurant, or go to the movies, or have some drinks, or travel? Obviously, it all comes down to personal preference. How do I know that a homeless person isn’t happier than some other people who are seemingly successful, simply because they have found a way of life that works for them? We are making sacrifices at every moment, so we should all decide what sacrifices we are willing to make, and for what reasons. Now, it could still be the case that there is some bigger meaning, some grand purpose, for us being on this earth, something that perhaps could be the actual reason for every single human being’s existence on this planet. Maybe we all have the same exact mission or purpose, who knows. It’s not something we can completely discard. However, we don’t know this for sure, so even if we feel like we have found the truth, or the great secret to time and life, we have to remember that we don’t know anything for sure, so we have to respect everyone else’s decisions concerning their time, as long as they are doing no harm to others.
If you have a few minutes check out my song ‘time flies.’ I appreciate you listening.
rebel eye 