Take Time

I've decided, I want to take time for the better things. I've found that I kinda waste a lot of time doing a lot of things that don't matter at all, and that just doesn't make any sense to me. Life is too short to waste time. Granted, there will be stages in life that feel like they will never end. For me, that stage is high school right now. But I know that once it's finally over it will feel like it flew by, and I will regret the times I wasted waiting for the next stage.

In the government class I'm taking, we talked about what's called the "human predicament." It starts with tyranny. Eventually, people want freedom enough to start a rebellion. The rebellion is either stopped and tyranny continues to rule, or it leads to anarchy. For a time, this anarchy satisfies the people. But, as time passes, the people crave order. Groups competing for rule suddenly have power to do so, and one takes power, which takes us back to tyranny. Basically, it's this circle that goes around and round, unless you find a way to break out of it. As far as the human predicament goes, the way out through is a revolution that leads to a "good society" rather than anarchy.

I guess you could make this analogy to a lot of things in life, but right now I'm going to connect the government human predicament to another human predicament. It is so easy to fall into wanting to be in the future so bad that the present is forgotten. I do not want to spend my entire life waiting for the next thing in life. I will not. Breaking out of the human predicament and reaching the equivalent of a good society is the best way to live life. Enjoying each and every moment for what it is.

I had a coach who taught me a lot of things in the two years he was there. Not only about how to be a better athlete, but also to be a better person. For practice, we often go running on mountain trails that take us to some absolutely beautiful places. Whenever we would reach one of these breathtaking views, he always told us to "stop and smell the roses." He wanted us to take the time to soak it in, to see what we might have missed had we kept running past. He taught me to see what was hidden and enjoy the moment.

A few months ago my mom gave me a little book called "Take Time." It has a bunch of, what I'll call, Take Timeisms, with a quote to the side that goes along with it. I keep it on my nightstand and every now and again look through it and come across a reminder. One of my favorite Take Timeisms that I've come across is "Take Time for the Here and Now" accompanied this quote:

Whatever I'm doing at the moment is the biggest thing in life--whether it is conducting a symphony or peeling an orange.

--Arturo Toscanini

What a great perspective! Why not live up every moment in life? As long as I am breathing, there is something about life to enjoy and celebrate. Take time to live in the moment, take time to be with family, take time to read a good book, to do what you know is right, and to break out of the human predicament. Take time to live your life.