"Balancing Your Time"

As I prepared this note, I came across to the article written by Bob Perks. The story is plain and simple. Yet it is very touching and moving. I believe most of us can relate to this situation and find guilty of one sided use of our time.

It is a story of a man who was passionately driven by his desire in pursuit of his dreams, his name is Jack Bennet. He had little time to think about his past and often no time for his wife and son. He was working for his family’s future and no one can stop him.

One day, over the phone, his mother told him, that the man next to their door passed away, his name is Harold Belser. Memories flashed through his mind, that man taught him everything about carpentry. And without him, he will not be in this business.

Though he is busy, he told his mom that he will pay him a visit at his funeral. That guy spent a lot of time teaching him the things he thought were very important in life. He kept his word and attended the wake. It is small and uneventful because the guy had no children and most of his relatives had passed away.

Standing in the doorway, he paused for a moment. It was like entering into another dimension. A leap through space and time, the house was exactly the same as it was before, except for one thing the box.

The box had gone. He taught that it was taken by Harold’s relatives. What is the thing inside the box he asked? But his mentor, when he is still alive, told him the thing he valued most.

After two weeks, he discovered a note in his mailbox, advising him to drop by at the main post office and claim the package. The sender is no other than Mr. Harold Belser.

This is the message, “Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennet. It’s the thing I value most in my life”. A small key was taped to the letter. Tears filled his eyes and rolled down to his face. When he unlocked the box, he found a beautiful gold pocket watch engraved to it these words:

“Jack thank you for your time! – Harold Belser.”

“The thing he valued most… was… my time.”

Jack called his office and told his assistant to clear his appointments for two days. “Why?” his assistant asked. “I need some time to spend with my son”, he said. “Oh, by the way Janet, thanks for your time”.

There are other numerous lessons we can learn from this story. It's up to you to find out. Let us always remind ourselves,that time is our very essential and precious resources. For some, time means money, for others it means family, and for some others it could mean health. But whatever it is we need to strike the balance use of our time.