Time is essential, it does not speak yet commands our daily activities. As humans, we tend to keep things for later, forgetting that what's lost to time can never be gotten back. Time has taught me a great lesson, as procrastination nearly cost me a bigger opportunity. If I had lost it, it could take years to regain it, if I ever regain such an opportunity again. Time is precious, this was a lesson I learnt from my grandfather.
My grandfather was a man of his word; he was strict and disciplined. He was always prompt with his assignments, as a matter of fact, he dislikes procrastination. I can say I've gotten a big treasure from him. I love prompt responses to things, which makes some people think I'm too rigid. Even at old age, he upheld his principles, and he never compromised until his last day on earth on September 5, 2024, when we lost him to the cold hands of death.
During one of my conversations with him in Christmas 2023, he asked, "You can't cheat time, do you know that?"
I nodded even though I was confused.
He knew I didn't understand what he was saying. He smiled and said, "Many of us think we can cheat time, and we thought we had lots of time on our side until opportunities slide away right in front of our eyes".
It was then that I was getting the idea of what he was saying, I smiled and replied, "You're right, Baami (my father), as I fondly called him, because I rarely call him grandpa.
"When it's time to sleep, we will definitely feel sleepy, but some of us, especially you students, think you can cheat that by drinking different kinds of substances to keep you awake", he said.
I smiled and said, "That's right, I do that too, especially when I have an examination, but it doesn't help much. It's always better to relax a bit, then continue, than to deprive myself of sleep.
"Lots of people think they control time, not knowing that time controls us humans. We can do things better during the day than at night because the time favors us. Which is to tell you that time controls human activities", he further said.
I nodded in agreement, waiting to see where the discussion would lead you because anytime my grandpa had a heart-to-heart discussion with me, I knew something was up.
"It is good to do things at the right time, eat when it's time to eat, sleep when it's time to sleep, work when the time is right, rest when it's appropriate, that is to tell you that you do your things at the right time", he said.
I smiled and nodded as I knew where he was driving to. "Time is essential, baami, I understand you and I will do what's right at the right time", I replied to him.
"Once you see a good man you want to settle with, do so on time, don't prolong what should be done to avoid stories that touch the heart", he said.
"Gbam! I knew that was where you were going, I knew that the main reason for this discussion was this", I said with a loud laugh.
"He looked at me and nodded his head, "You children nowadays are taking things with so much levity which was not so during our time", he concluded.
"I've heard you baami, I will let you know when I see the one I wish to settle down with", I replied with a smile.
After the discussion, I had a deep thought and I got to understand that time is money, which when spent, can't be earned back. You can't stop time, but you know how to choose how to spend it.
Thanks for your time and your comments will be appreciated.