Value Those Who Give You Their Time
It is important to spend time with those that we love and those that love us. Time is the most wonderful and fascinating gift we can give.
If we stop to think, we realize that the time others invest in us is something they will never get back. This makes this a special, unique act. This is a way for them to say that they value us and enjoy our company.
We often forget very easily how important it is to spend time with people. Forgetting this can be the beginning of conflicts. People start to drift apart because they don’t feel valued.
It isn’t easy to find a good balance. This world values speed and productivity. Because of this, we can feel stressed when we are spending time with friends instead of working.
However, it’s important that we stop and think about the value we put on time. Sometimes people use their free time to see us. Other times, they “make” time to see us. When they do this, know that they are giving you the best gift they can give.
These moments are worth it. They allow us to make memories we can treasure, and they also help to give us emotional connections to others. Moreover, this is the paint we use to give color to our lives.
How much is an hour of your time worth?
The man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door.
“Daddy, may I ask you a question?”
“Yeah, sure, what is it?” – replied the man.
“Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?” – he asked with wide open eyes
“That’s none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?” – the man said angrily.
“I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?” – pleaded the little boy.
“If you must know, I make $100 an hour.”
“Oh,” the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, “Daddy, may I borrow $50 please?”
The father was furious.
“If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you’re being so selfish.
I work long, hard hours every day and don’t have time for such childish games.”
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy’s questioning.
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How dare he ask such questions only to get some money.
After an hour or so, the man had calmed down and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $50 and he really didn’t ask for money very often. Finally, the man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door.
“Are you asleep son?” – he asked
“No daddy, I’m awake.” – replied the boy
“I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier.” – said the man. “It’s been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here’s that $50 you asked for.”
The little boy sat straight up, beaming. “Oh, thank you, daddy!” – he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills.
The man, seeing the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.
“Why did you want more money if you already had some?” – the father grumbled.
“Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do.” – the little boy replied.
“Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.”
The father was crushed and he put his arms around his little son and asked for forgiveness.
Sharing time gives life
Like we can see in the previous story, giving time is the same as giving life. Thinking about the number of changes that have happened over time can overwhelm us.
But what’s more, if we think about it, we realize something. Time and change can be synonymous conceptually. Both are the essence of our lives, growth, and relationships.
People will often tell us “I love you” and “you’re important to me” by spending time together. The best way to answer this is to offer them our time.
We can’t forget that our best investment will always be the time we dedicate to our friends and family.
Finally, don’t let it get too late to share your feelings with others. Remember, time keeps marching forward.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
Adkins, C. L., & Premeaux, S. F. (2012). Spending time: The impact of hours worked on work-family conflict. Journal of Vocational Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2011.09.003