I have been thinking about this for days, so I thought I would share it with my friends. I hope you find some truth and enjoy it:

For a moment, imagine you just received the most wonderful gift you could ever imagine. How would you feel about that and what do you think that gift would be? Some may think about a new home or car. Others might imagine a round-the-world cruise in a large stateroom on a magnificent ship. Some people might believe it would be the perfect mate to help fulfill their life and provide them with great children who make them proud. Still others might envision the perfect job to provide them with security and a good life.

Admittedly, each of those gifts seems perfect and amazing. We all crave stability and prosperity. We do not want to starve or suffer through a miserable life. No one desires pain and misery, hopefully.

Unfortunately, each of the gifts mentioned so far is fleeting and imperfect, which reflects the world perfectly. Houses and cars age and require a lot of maintenance. Even a cruise around the world only lasts a few weeks or months. Then you return to your normal existence. Marriage and children age as well. Some relationships last to the grave, but many do not. Men and women get older. Often, they try to hold onto youth, but that can never succeed indefinitely. Aging is part of life. Too often, one spouse or the other can feel trapped in a relationship that is no longer as perfect as they had imagined. Jobs are another conundrum. I worked for forty-seven years. Other than my first job out of college, every other job ended with a corporate acquisition. Corporations claim to always keep the best person, but that means their keep their own.

I honestly hope each of you has a wonderful career, family, and savings to help you through retirement, and I hope you live one hundred and twenty years. Still, what is the greatest gift that we all crave?

To me, the greatest gift is TIME.

Time does not mean how long you will live. Time is what you spend with those you love. That time is truly precious. Whether you and your spouse, friend, or family member are talking or just sitting together, those are the memories that will last. The relationships we build over our lives are what matter in the end. We take those feelings with us when we pass, and I believe that we will meet them again on the other side.

The other time that matters is in time spent praying, especially when we pray for other people who need God’s help the most. He never forgets our prayers, and our faith gives us strength.

Hang onto those who matter the most, even if your relationship is imperfect. Keep your memories of them fresh in your mind. As we approach our own end, those thoughts will give us strength and prepare us for the next journey.

I wish you all the best.