Lost Time

“Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, that’s why its called the present.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Dr. Benjamin Mays wrote a beautiful poem called “Just a minute “. It is a 60 syllable verse form, one syllable for each second totaling up to a minute. It stresses how precious our time is. Something we hear a lot. The Bible talks about how there’s a time for everything. The world has put a price on the time we give to our jobs. However, what about lost time? The time we thought we were investing in something and it turned out into nothing. The time we spent going in the wrong direction with our hopes and dreams. The time we were so lost we woke up one day and wished everything was different. One of our biggest regrets is lost time, wasted time, pointless times in our lives. Should that be counted as well? No, not at all. 

Lost time feels like a huge waste. It hangs heavy on our heads and our hearts. It can be hard to shake off. Sometimes, it’s because we find ourselves staring at the reminder of lost time and it keeps us stuck there. However, lost time doesn’t mean the race is over. Every ending has a new beginning.

No matter how old you are or how far you’ve lost your way, you still have time on your hands.

You can define what your prime time is. Look around you, literally and figuratively. What do you have to work with? If MacGyver could build a plane from a toothpick and a piece of paper, you can be just as creative. The past is something we cannot do anything about but mourn and move on. What happens next is important. So please don’t waste anymore minutes thinking it’s hopeless and over.

Diane Nyad had a dream of swimming from Cuba to the US. She tried and failed at 29. At 60 she was reminded of this dream. Not holding on to her failure she decided to attempt it again. After many grueling hours of training and four failed attempts, by age 64 she accomplished her dream of making a record. She chose to not give up. Award winning Director Ava DuVernay didn’t pick up a camera until she was 32 years old. Many years after the standard high schooler is making the decision to start classes and aim their college courses in that direction. Yuh-Jung Youn was 73 years old when she got nominated for an Oscar for the movie Minari. World famous designer Vera Wang started her business at 40. And it was because she got engaged at 39 an age that people tend to feel is late in life to get married. She couldn’t find a decent wedding dress and her father encouraged her to seize an opportunity. 

I don’t want you thinking that they are the exception and that it could never be you. You do have what it takes no matter how much time has gone by.  No matter where you are, it can be used to make a difference or a change. Just do your best. Obstacles and trials may get in the way but don’t give up. Your time is now and every moment after this.