Your Time

When we take our last breath, we won't be measured by our bank account. Our mind will run through all the wasted yesterday's longing for another moment to live. Start living today. It's not too late to take another kick at the can!

I was on a cruise scratching off a trip on my bucket list when An elderly man joined me at my table. The white belt holds his golf shorts in place - a New York Yankees hat and a polo shirt. Smells of cologne. Thick silver bracelet and an oversized watch. He’s picking at his grapefruit as I type. 

I bet if I were to ask him what he wanted - if he could have anything? I bet his answer would be “time.” 

It’s funny how we discard days as though they are an endless commodity, yet near the end of our lives, we hope for every moment we have left. 

I decided to ask.... I stopped typing and just asked. Why not? I said, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt your breakfast, but I have a question. If you could have anything ...If I were the hand of god and could grant you anything (I’m not, by the way), but if I could - what would you want?” 

I waited so sure he would answer “time.” 

He said, “I am an 82-year-old man, and I’ve studied and worked in astronomy my whole life. When we look up - we see the sun. The sun is life; it brings life to all it touches, and we need it badly. At night, when we see the moon, it brings everything out as it allows us to rest. The earth is between the sun and the moon, allowing all to breathe what is required to grow. The two (sun and moon) are a marriage, with the earth being its child. Without both - there would be no earth. So when you ask me this question - What would I have if I could have anything?” 

“Love!” 

Surprised, I said, “I was sure because you are older - you would say time.” 

He said, “Studying the stars for all these years, I must tell you something. When we look into the stars, we see tomorrow. Believe me - what has happened today has already happened. We can already see tomorrow when we look at the light that has left this place”. 

He gathers his plate and works his way up from the chair. 

With a smile and a wink, he says, “Because we can see tomorrow, I know there’s still time to love today.” 

Then he walked away......