Time

Several weeks ago Elizabeth Gilbert - author of "Eat, Pray, Love" - was a guest on The Dr. Oz Show.  She was telling her story about how she became an author.  She always wanted to write a book, but it seemed that she "never had the time".  She was talking to a friend about her time issue.  Her friend was sympathetic, but then asked her what she did the night before.  She answered, "I watched The Sopranos on tv."  Her friend then mentioned that she did, in fact, have the time to write.  She just chose to watch tv instead.

Elizabeth Gilbert then asked the audience, "What are you willing to give up to get what you SAY you want?  There's always enough time.  Everything else is just an excuse."

Well, she might as well have reached through the tv and slapped me.  Her words jarred me out of my complacency.  There were so many things I wanted to do, but "just didn't have the time".  She made me aware of the fact that I DO have the time.  I'm just choosing to do something else with it.

So that very day I decided to be more cognizant of how I was spending my time.  Where I live we have definite change of seasons.  In the mid to late fall we start putting summer things away.  For example, all our patio furniture and our chiminea need to be put away in our shed for the winter.  But I kept telling my husband I wanted to have one more fire.  Also, my son wanted me to write a new "about" for this blog site.  He'd ask me if I started it yet and I always said, "It's been so busy around here.  I just haven't had the time."

Well, the very day that I saw Elizabeth Gilbert on The Dr. Oz Show, I went out on the patio, built a fire in the chiminea, got a tablet and pen, and sat by the fire writing the first draft of my new "About" for the blog site.  I've since written a second draft and am waiting to see if I need to write a third.

Watching THAT TV show, THAT day, with THAT guest was no accident.  It was the "kick in the pants" that I needed to motivate me.  Now every time I think I don't have time for something, I remember Elizabeth Gilbert's words.  I know I DO have time.  No excuses.  I'm just choosing to do something else with it.

Love, Paula

PS - I wrote this blog while on a flight to Tucson.  There's ALWAYS time to do the things you want to do.