Imagine if you could take time as if you owned it, as if you could manage it!
And we all have the same amount of minutes in our day – 1,440 to be exact. If you sleep for eight hours (as many of us do). That leaves 1,248 minutes in your day, to do what?
Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore,
So do our minutes hasten to their end;
Shakespeare Sonnet 60
“Time is of the essence” – we don’t have a limitless amount of time. Our minutes so often pass by and we have no idea what we did with them. We say things like “Where did the time go?” when we really are saying, “What did I do during those minutes?”
The poem Take Time invites us to focus on the value of what we do in the time we are given. In this invitation to Take Time it is implicit that we pause, stop the incessant doing and become aware of just being.
Take Time
Take time to think
It is the source of power.
Take time to read
It is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to play
It is the secret of staying young.
Take time to be quiet
It is the opportunity to seek God.
Take time to be aware
It is the opportunity to help others.
Take time to love and be loved
It is God’s greatest gift.
Take time to laugh
It is the music of the soul.
Take time to be friendly
It is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream
It is what the future is made of.
Take time to pray
It is the greatest power on Earth.
(author unknown)
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience;
we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
This spiritual being or the soul is where unconditional love, forgivingness, compassion, harmony, peace and joy reside. As human beings we are here to experience this life and it’s lessons. So as we live each of our minutes we are growing and developing on many different levels, among them the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual or soul level. This life is our school and class is always in session. Lessons we must learn include, how to tend to all our different levels of growth and need.
I have just come away from a fabulous Conference organised by Women’s Inspire Network entitled “Telling Your Story”. I listened to amazing women talk about how they had overcome the challenges of death of loved ones, financial ruin, separation and divorce, horrific accidents and illness and they stood full of energy, enthusiasm and commitment, spreading a carpet of joy and encouragement like confetti under our feet. These women have certainly been to the school of life and didn’t miss our on a single class. They had the whole kit and caboodle thrown at them and there they were inspiring entrepreneurs and leaders – true Soulpreneurs!
All of their stories had a common theme – that of time. They all spoke of the time it took for them to return to equilibrium, to refocus and continue on the journey of life. They took time to think, be aware, to dream and to be aware of the power of the Divine. By living through this time with awareness and presence they are once again able to take time to laugh, dance, sing and be happy.
Presenters on the day shared insights and wisdom that they developed on their journey to here. Susan Hayes asked “What’s the worst that can happen? – and interesting question to ponder when we find ourselves holding back. Aisling Curtis spoke on the importance of “Backing Yourself” – and we were encouraged to do this by breaking out of our comfort zone for 3-5 minutes per day by Aisling Curtin. We often don’t back ourselves because of the fear of looking like an idiot according to Gaye Moore. Helena Gilhooly affirmed for us that there is always a way, we just have to seek and find it and it will usually be found in our zone of genius. I particularly liked James Sweetman’s acronym for MONEY – My own natural energy yield.
The time I spent at this conference was time well spent. I came away buoyed up by the energy commitment and enthusiasm of this group. The women gave freely and generously of their time to support each other and encourage others on their path.
I will soon be offering you the opportunity to Take Time with me – to come away and rest for a short while in a place where you owe no one and no one owes you. Watch out for details coming soon.