One of the great book titles is Your Money or Your Life (by Vicki Robbins and Joe Dominguez). It summarizes an elemental decision each of us must make. And, once you discover time is your only commodity, you must decide how to "spend" it.

The first notion of time we must accept and practice in our lives is that it’s never too late. We may have procrastinated in the past, but we can begin to take action today. Want to write poetry? Jot down a rhyme. Desire to lose weight? Change an eating habit over the next couple of meals. Thinking about a computer? Spend some time at a public library with a terminal. Have an unresolved conflict with family or friends? Pick up the phone or pen now. You have a special gift, a second chance.

Another aspect of time to understand is “to learn how to hurry slowly.” Savoring the moments, slowing down, and spending half our hours in quiet and calm—all depict a person who is living wisely. Some people are able to discover this reflective pace by adjusting daily schedules. Others need to allocate special days for these peaceful pleasures.

When we find things we really want to do, we’ll find the time to do them. This is one of life’s difficult lessons: no matter what people claim their dreams might be, their real dreams and values are expressed by how they spend their time. We may not be able to instantly achieve a dream, but if we’re serious, we can take the first steps. If we truly desire to travel, we’ll make an excursion, even if it’s to a nearby park rather than around the world. If we have a passionate desire to read, we’ll do it even if it requires reserving a small block of time in our daily schedule.

We blossom when we carefully nurture how we use our time. All of us have the same twenty-four hours each day to fill with activities of our own choosing. When we balance our reflective moments with our active ones, when our stated priorities coincide with our use of time, we find that time becomes our trusted friend.