On Saving Time - Day One

"What man can you show me who places any value on his time, who reckons the worth of each day, who understands that he is dying daily? For we are mistaken when we look forward to death; the major portion of death has already passed. Whatever years be behind us are in death's hands. Therefore, Lucilius, do as you write me that you are doing: hold every hour in your grasp. Lay hold of today's task, and you will not need to depend so much upon tomorrow's. While we are postponing, life speeds by. 
3 Nothing, Lucilius, is ours, except time. We were entrusted by nature with the ownership of this single thing, so fleeting and slippery that anyone who will can oust us from possession. What fools these mortals be! They allow the cheapest and most useless things, which can easily be replaced, to be charged in the reckoning, after they have acquired them; but they never regard themselves as in debt when they have received some of that precious commodity, – time! And yet time is the one loan which even a grateful recipient cannot repay."  Seneca, Letters - "On Saving Time"

For this year Michel and I are reading through the complete collection of Seneca's Letters.  This morning was our first reading and I have pasted an excerpt from the reading above.  This week I am going to be studying this letter #1.

I only have to think of all of the things that I wanted to accomplish with my "holiday break" to realize that time slips away from us when we are not diligent with our planning.  I did get some much needed rest and "down time" during the holiday though.  A goal that I did accomplish.  I am in no way "ready" to begin the work cycle again though.  The thought of going out early before the sun rises into the snowy, and bitterly cold morning is extremely unappealing to say the least.  I will do what must be done though and be thankful that I am going out to a job that I enjoy with co-workers who are interesting.  This cannot be said by many people these days and for that I am extremely blessed and I am grateful.

My calendar for household chores, menu, budgeting and special occasions has been planned for the year.  I now have to plan my work calendar for the year, getting ready to jump back into the business of my position, fine tuning my planning process to ensure continued success.  Today will be a time of planning and reflection at work today with many co-workers not returning until the middle of the week.  I hope we all get through our weighty inboxes swiftly and enjoy a productive and enriching day today.

I will remember that Time is the only commodity allowed us by nature and hope to use it wisely!