The Present

“Time is money.” I’ve heard these words for years, sensing the weight that people say them with. For many people, it seems to be a guiding commandment, driving decisions and ultimately directing their course of life. I saw the importance with which people view this principle, and I couldn’t figure out why it rubbed me the wrong way.

“Time is money.” Any moment spent resting could be spent working. But time isn’t just money. Time is everything. Time is our most valuable commodity in life. It’s what we use to measure all that has happened and all that has yet to happen – the unknown. It is nothing more than a measurement of our life. The things we have been through are past; the things we will go through are the future.

There is an incompleteness to the phrase “time is money” because it carries the implication that money is what should matter most to us. We are equating money to the thing that measures our very life. It’s undeniable that money is important— to say otherwise would be a foolish argument to make. Many people struggling for survival very well may see money as the most important thing, although this is through no fault of their own. But I encourage people to rethink what this phrase may mean to them.

The reality, and perhaps the beauty of life, is that we have limited time as conscious beings on Earth. Every day we go through becomes a day added towards the tally of the past, and one more day taken from the bank of the future. One day, we will look forward and see fewer days ahead of us than behind. And, of course, we are never truly promised a tomorrow.

If we can view time itself as the most precious commodity rather than money, maybe we can be more mindful in our use of it.

What are you not doing today, assuming that you may have the opportunity to do later? How many times have you said, “I’ll see them next time they come to town” when thinking of buying tickets to your favorite artist? And who are you not calling today, thinking you can just talk to them tomorrow?

I don’t say these things to inspire fear or to cause desperation, urging you to spend your time at superhuman efficiency. I say it because I think it is worth considering what matters most to us when we think of how we spend our time.

Erica Moomaw — April 24th, 2022