Is time all about money?

by Ronnie Apteker

This year has been such a blur. Just about everyone I speak to can’t believe how fast paced this year has been. Is this what the progress paradox is all about? I once heard a saying that said that some people spend time to save money while others spend money to save time.

I know this is stating the obvious, but time is the only thing we can’t get back. Money, on the other hand, comes and goes.

Here is a story someone sent me years ago. This is something we should all read every so often. Because we tend to forget what is important.

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

"Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
"Yeah sure, what is it?"
"Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
"That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.
"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.

"If you must know, I make $20 an hour."
"Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down.
Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may please borrow $10?"

The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work long hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish behaviour."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions.

How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. May be there was something he really needed to buy with that $10, and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

"Are you asleep, son?" he asked.
"No Daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on your earlier," said the man.

"It's been a long day, and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's that $10 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, smiling, "Oh, thank you Daddy!" he yelled.

Then reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at his father.

"Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled. "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.

"Daddy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."


Share this story with someone you like - but even better, share $20 worth of time with someone you love. It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.