What is the best possible use of my time right now?

People who know me a little, probably think I’m a real scrooge because I do nothing special or different for any of the traditional holidays. Same with birthdays..

Why even acknowledge birthdays at all for that matter? They’re just an arbitrary milepost in our development that normally started about nine months before that. Maybe we should celebrate our start date instead? That seems like it would be a more enjoyable memory than all that unpleasant pushing, cursing, guts and gore. Ok, maybe some of the start dates were like that too, but lets not go into that here.

People who know me well though, know that I appreciate all holiday’s way more than most do. I celebrate them every day. Every day is Christmas, Thanksgiving...birthdays, Ground Hog Day and Arbor Day all rolled into one.

We’re only here for a billionth of a second, folks, a dust-speck in the scheme of the universe.

Act accordingly, you know?

Too often we don’t think about that clock ticking.

Never postpone happiness for some out-of-focus time in the future: “I’ll be so happy when we get that raise, can’t wait to get into the new house or drive that car, can’t wait to get those shoes out of layaway, they’re perfect, only two more weeks until we go on vacation...lets go to the taco place on your birthday. I really look forward to Christmas this year…all of it someday ,other than today…that’s when I’ll really be happy.

I can’t wait.

You know what? Tomorrow never comes. The past is memory, the future a hope. All we ever have is today, right now. This minute, this second.

Never “kill time” waiting for something else. Don’t “bide your time.” This moment is just as important as any other, and they’re all equally and extremely important, because they are all we get. Present moments. Be there, be present in the moment.

I ask myself: “What is the best possible use of my time right now?”

In our culture the knee-jerk reaction to that question is usually some kind of a semi-apologetic blabbering about doing something other than what we’re doing…something that is goal oriented, whatever it may be that we feel we should hold in higher regard than what we’re actually doing. “Well, I should be working on that customer information but…I should be doing the dishes but…I should be getting these reports done but... I should be walking the dogs but...

I really should be doing all that rather than sitting here watching the birds chase each other around in the oak canopy overhead.

No, many times, what you’re doing is exactly what you should be doing. Let yourself off the hook. Give yourself a break. The best possible use of your time may well be reading a book, watching a movie, eating chips, maybe just sleeping and enjoying the luxury of having no demands, self-imposed or otherwise.

We all need a guilt-free break, and we all need to celebrate the moment.

For me? I’ve been doing my gym thing every morning for the last week. Working consistently. I do a great job at work, they’re lucky to have me and I’m lucky to have them. I’m a good husband and father. I take care of the lawn, garden, dogs, cooking, bills, all that day to day.

Right now though, the best use of my time at 7:34 Sunday morning? Drinking ice cold shots of Ketel One, steaming fresh organic spinach that I hit with butter, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Royal Reds, cleaned, ready for a quick fry in garlic & butter.

Moderation in all things, including moderation, right?

Alexa wanted to be nice so she’s playing George & Tammy singing Bobby Braddock’s : “We’re not the Jet Set”

I know that this is the best possible use of my time right now. It’s Christmas, the 4th of July, and yes, Father’s Day too.

I like that, every day, every moment matters…until moments like these run out and my energy shape-shifts into something else.

Next time around, I want to come back as a clone of my dog Chica. Then I would be assured of making the best possible use of my time...in every single moment I’m given...