THE LOAN OF TIME

 

A young man about twenty years old who has been through a lot of hardships went to the park to make a point of his life.

He was sitting on the bench thinking and reviewing all the wrong of things of his life. His father was recently laid of and his mother wasn’t working because she was taking care of them. Now the government assistance was quite low for them to live as before. On top of that he has been sick since his childhood and the doctors couldn’t figure out what he has. He can’t do much sport so he has few extra weights not that much but he considers himself obese.

So, there he was, sitting, reliving what he called dramatic life and was wondered if God has singled his family out because of what who knows who of his relatives has done before his time. As he was lost in his thoughts an old man appeared standing in front him. As soon as he saw the man, he jumped out of his day nightmare and make space for the man to sit down. The old man thanked him dearly and arranged a place for the young man to sit too. As they were sitting the old man got him talking.

So, our young man spilled out everything he considered to be a misfortune in his life. The old man listened so deeply and so attentively that the young man broke into tears claiming nobody has never listened to him so profoundly. The old man gave him some good advices and finally said:” what can I do for you my son for what you did for me today?” the young man laughed and said, don’t worry grandpa it was the right thing for me today. Despite being poor, mom has given us let’s say the church education. Well, said the old man, for this kindness of yours I give you anything you may ask to God, I will grant it to you. Once again, the boy laughed. The old man understanding that the boy has hard time believing him, said: I give you three weeks’ time and we will meet here again, get your most important wish ready and I will grant it to you. Meantime, I know you came here on foot, as you walk back home

1.     Pay attention to where you put your feet, you’ll find 500 euro on the ground,

2.     Go see your family doctor again and ask him to give this prescription and your illness will be gone;

3.     Send your dad CV to your friend X’s dad.

4.     And in two weeks on your way back here; a nice lady in a Black SUV will give you a ride.

The boy laughed and went home nevertheless paid attention to his footing and found 500 euro on the ground, motivated he followed the rest of the instruction and one week later he was cured. His dad found job and the family regain livelihood again. Convinced, he started thinking of what he could ask the old man to turn his life around for the best. He asked his father, mother, friends they all concluded to ask a certain amount of money. But he wasn’t satisfied so he remembered the story of Salomon from the bible, then he resolved on his wish.

Soon enough the day of the meeting has come. He cleaned up himself as if he has a date. Few steps of his house, a young lady was about to cross him over in order to excuse herself she decided to give him a ride. As he was sitting in the car, he noticed that it was a black SUV right there his trust in the old man was more than validated at this point. He reached the park; the old man was already there waiting for him. The boy went over all the good things that happened to him since their first encounter to the amusement of the old man. When he finished the man asked him: have you concluded on your most important wish? Confidently he looked up at the old man and said: I trust and recognize your power, so you know my precious wish. Grant me the most precious gift you think I might need the most”

The old man looked at him and said go home, you wished is granted. We’ll meet again when you’ll be 65 years old, in the meantime you won’t be able to contact me but rest assure that your most precious gift is granted to you.

The boy went home confident that his life has changed. He started dressing well, going out to meet friends. He once again met the young girl. They went out few times and they ended up getting married. Everything was rolling fine but nothing special according to his standard was happening.
He got tired of being restrained in his marriage.
At forty years old he got divorced and went to his family house living his wife with three kids. He stopped working, has nervous, moody, and complaining all time.
Without realizing it he reached 50 the 60. He spent the last five years of his life preparing the list of the complaints for the old men. He cut everybody out and was living alone.
At 65 years he got up and make his way to the park hoping to meet the old man once again. And there along the road, he got hit by a black SUV and died.

Few moments afterwards, his spirit found itself in front of the old man. He run to him all furious, and started complaining:

“You duped me.
Because of the promise of yours, I couldn’t live his life properly.
I’ve had dreams of visiting Cuba, Ivory coast, Italy, Brazil, none of that I’ve done.
I’ve instead lived a regular life and died in the same neighborhood. So, tell me old man, what was the precious gift that you have granted me?3

The old man, silently raised his head and make few steps toward the young man and said:

“Time”

The boy couldn’t believe it. Is time the most precious gift you thought I needed the most? Why did I trust you? I should have asked to be a trillionaire then. I was foolish enough to think that you knew better.

The old man, sat back and starting talking:

“You were supposed to die at age 20, the same day you came to meet at the park for the second time. But I gave you time and a push to start. I have granted more time to you in order for you to live and enjoy life. Instead, what did you do? You dreamed of visiting further lands without knowing your own neighborhood.
You dream of marrying a better wife while never took the time to love and appreciate your wife or try to be better yourself?.
You’ve spent more time on tv than with your own family.
You never had time for your own family still, you had time for your guys.
While you were busy complaining about the miracle not coming in the form you’ve expected, your precious gift was expiring. Did you really make this gift count? What did you do with the gift of life? Many has lived shorter than time than you and have made the most out it. Today everybody talks of Jesus, how long did he live? You complained about being fat what about Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs and he is able to bring light to people fully packed?

So yes, Time was the most precious gift for you and you did not make it count.

Weather this story is true or invented does it matter? The clue message is the value of time. In our society today we measure everything based on time although we have the illusion that money is the main measurement unit.
We get loan from the bank based on how much time we hare already spent on earth (how old we are) and the probable possible remaining time. We sleep and wake up with reference to time. We love on time and we heal with time.

The use of time gives two possible outcomes:

1. One, is the situation of a slave who, with each misbehavior receives lashes. As time goes on, he ends up having scares everywhere. When he looks at himself, he sees misfortune.
2. The second outcome is the situation of an artist who is painting a masterpiece, with each stroke (use of time) he adds beauty to picture to the mosaic of his life. 

Bringing this story into the frame of you and I. 2021 was chaotic year to the whole world. Many of our fellow people died from the covid pandemic. We killed many of ourselves in different wars because they have reasons and faith different than ours.  Race differences rise up again. The human race got beside the covid, the cancer of me first.

2022 comes as a gift, time is given to us. Make it count. It might surprise you but:
If you make time count for you,
it will count for your family.
If it counts for your family, it will for your neighborhood.
If it does for your neighborhood it will as well for your city
If it counts for your city it will for your country
From your country to your continent and It’ll definitely count for the whole mankind.

Henry ford once said: “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”.

Time is a loan that is granted to us. It’ll pass no matter what we do with it. As we come together to keep it together, we’ll work our way into success with the time given to us. After all, when the party is interesting, we don’t notice the passing of the time, although it counted.  

With time we can never go back, we could only regret what we could have done or said. Hence, Let’s make it count now!