Time To Live

December 18 I had the privilege of reading an executive’s e-mail to his employees. I had met, and admired, this executive. All business. Focused on the needs of the company. Not asking of his employees more than he was willing to give. Keeping in touch with clients as world events impacted their company. Traveling prolifically as projects required. Project minded, yet seeing “the big picture.” An American success story.

This missive, however, acknowledged what we have all should have learned, especially this year. There are events encountered outside of our control. Some are sufficiently impactive as to bring portions of our society to a screeching halt.

We saw one similar happening following 9/11. Our skies emptied, for several days. No planes above us. No blinking lights between the stars. All travel moved to the ground, traversing the country much more slowly than before.

Soon, however, things were back to normal. As if “normal” can be defined. Travelers returned to their usual pace, slowed only slightly by enhanced security. PDA’s in hand as they walked, Laptops in use as they flew. Meeting schedules beeping from telephones. Reports in and out of the home office. Soon time would be rescheduled for families and friends. There was just one more urgent project, one more urgent need, one more meeting would be the fix.

As this executive discovered, a friend’s child’s illness paid no heed to the frantic fixing. Between trips abroad, meetings at home, an emergency here, a financing there, the child died, the family unvisited.

How do you then greet an acquaintance, much less a friend, when the only words that can be said are not only inadequate, but are excuses for a life unlived.

What is the difference between our lives being taken by disease or given away to busyness? Choice. The friend’s life changed without his input. He forsook busyness for his child illness. The executive’s life changed without his input either. The financial world depleted a multitude of options, removed levels of hopefulness.

The executive wrote to encourage his employees to do better than he. To put down the tools of their trade and speak with their co-workers, their friends, their families. To be a support, and to be supported.

For those of us who love His word, some exist that are quite similar:

Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: (1 Samuel 12:23a KJV)

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (Colossians 1:9-11 KJV)

In creating time for your family and friends, you are creating life for yourself.

To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born,

and a time to die;

a time to plant,

and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill,

and a time to heal;

a time to break down,

and a time to build up;

A time to weep,

and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn,

and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,

and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace,

and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get,

and a time to lose;

a time to keep,

and a time to cast away;

A time to rend,

and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence,

and a time to speak;

A time to love,

and a time to hate;

a time of war,

and a time of peace.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 KJV)