Waste Not...

A day is a span of time no one is wealthy enough to waste.

My "fortune" at the Hong Kong buffet tonight definitely reflected my day for a couple of reasons.

First of all, I have this personal mission to make my free time either productive or enjoyable -- or both if that's possible. I can look back at a weekend and wonder "What in the world did I accomplish?" But if I recall some fun, relaxing moments mixed in with the "work," then it was not wasted.

Today I felt good that I went through a few closets and gathered up 4 bags' worth of shoes and clothes to drop off at Goodwill. Yes, it's just a start, but if I chip away at it, maybe we'll get somewhere. I said to hubby, "I was finally able to say 'Goodbye' to some t-shirts I couldn't let go of last time.'" It's definitely a work in progress. (I guess I am, too!)

My other accomplishment -- and I will take credit -- was getting Carter out for a 2-mile walk/run. This is for his own good. He is still sore from football camp and will be miserable by practice in a week. So I went all drill sergeant on him and made him get moving! I made it easy for him -- run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute, repeat for 2 miles. Well that lasted through about a mile. That boy is out of shape. I'm gonna have do the Momma Boot Camp this week! He'll thank me later.

Maybe.

I felt I deserved a good 30 minutes reading a good book with Mr. Deck Chair. That was not wasted time. That was my time.

I do my best -- and teach Carter, too -- that we cannot take these moments in the sun, so to speak, for granted.

When my mom called me this afternoon to tell me my uncle died, I was not surprised because he and his cancer had been getting worse. It shook me up, though, thinking of my cousins (his children) who now don't have any parents. (My aunt died 10 years ago.) I started crying on the phone and said, "Mom, I'm so lucky to still have both you and Dad!" I can't take that for granted. Life can change on a dime. What I have today, I have today. That may be it.

My fortune is right. No one can afford to waste time -- especially with loved ones. Some day they'll be gone, whether it be due to death or going off to college and moving out of the house or something else. So hug them and love them while you got them.

As a teenager now, I know Carter's gonna hate our "smothering" the next 5 years, but as I mentioned before, this is my time, too. (Right? Or no?)

Sometimes he appreciates it. This afternoon, all 3 of us went into town to drop off our donations and eat dinner at the Hong Kong buffet -- Carter's choice.

We all ate too much, which is what one tends to do at a buffet. So hubby and I went for a short walk this evening. Carter opted out since he already had gotten far too much exercise today!

Gotta love that kid. And we do!