Time: Destruction, Self-Construction, Happiness...?

Probably one of the most valuable gifts we have as humans is time and one of the most valuable talents is managing this gift in a constructive manner. Although it’s a gift, time is also our biggest challenge. It is a challenge indeed for if there is one thing that is unstoppable in this universe; then it must be “time”.
In the scope of our everyday activities the number one element that plays the biggest role is “time” - at lest in most cases if not all!
Person A: Hey what’s up? So, is our plan for tonight still on?
Person B: Yup! You pick me up or I pick you up?
Person A: You pick me up! What time?
Person B: 8:00?
Person A: Are you mad? Make it 7:00…. If you pick me up at 8:00 we will never make it on time.

In the very simply conversation above, we see that they had a target. This target is a plan they aim to realize. Also, within their scope we notice that the most perceptible concern was “time”. Every event has its own share of time so do our deeds and actions. In other words, the situation or status we find ourselves in is but a result of how we made use of our time.

Consider the below:

Given no.1: Time could be used for our own benefit and/or that of others
Given no.2: Time could be used for our own destruction and/or that of others
CHALLENGE: Time is unstoppable!


An old man I once sat with pointed out something I found really interesting. He said, with those exact words, “As’hab al hiraf” (people of professions such as carpentry, painting, hairdressing, baking…etc) are probably the happiest people. I then imagined a carpenter for a second. In the image in my head was a carpenter with sharp serious features. A busy carpenter who would yet smile and wave back if a friend waved from far. A carpenter with a busy life as he worked all day and who knows, he might have a million deadlines to meet! Was he really happy? I wondered.

I asked this man as I asked myself: Why do you say so? Why are those people the happiest in your opinion? And so he answered: It only makes sense! If this person, let’s say a smith, is busy all day, even if he was the poorest person in town, do you think this smith or carpenter would have the time to even think of the unhappy moments he lived through? Or would he have the time to even see his unhappiness? No, because he doesn’t have time to feel bored or empty.

The above does not suggest that we should all leave our offices and become carpenters or smiths. The above is but a reminder that as we still have the gift of time still in our hands, why not use it in something constructive rather than building more piles of emptiness and bareness. This “emptiness and bareness”, in our everyday life English, are represented through the word: “Boredom”.

Very often people tend to stress on how bored they are or how unhappy they are. Other times, they could be stressing on how they find their life empty and meaningless. After dissing their lives they then get to a point where they start hating themselves as they think that they are useless and life would go on with or without them. Here’s the question: Why even think that way?! Go back to point zero and take a different direction. Have you considered using your “time” differently?

Time, the constant power and energy of an unstoppable intangible flow can in fact, if used well, reconstruct the hundred thousand million destructed mentalities in this world. But even with spreading awareness it is still hard to make those people “realize” how they destruct themselves when they use their time doing nothing. Stop whatever you’re doing. Think for a moment: What is the one positive thing I do best? For God’s sake even if it’s baking cupcakes, it’ll keep you busy from building a wall between you and the society. If you did not take this step and found one day that you’ve become a miserable people, then know that you’ve only got yourself to blame.


Well now, I hope you found this post useful.