Various time-related thoughts bouncing around in my head this week…

“Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends.”
William Shakespeare

Time. So much lately has dealt with that topic. The show I’m directing right now deals with it a lot. In addition I’ve been, as always, working hard to keep a balance in how I spend MY time! Family -vs- Work is always the big balance, plus you throw in a few miscellaneous things like, oh, the rest of life, and it’s the same struggle we all deal with.

This past weekend my wife and kids went up vacationing in the woods with a bunch of our family. My son said to me on Thursday as I was tucking him into bed, “Dad! Can we bring our mitts and play baseball while we’re Up North?” I had to say “Buddy, I’d love to, but I’m not going, remember? I have to work. But Mom and Maggie and your Uncles and Cousins will play with you!”

His reply? A big sigh. Then in a sad and loving voice, “You know, I’m really glad you started the theatre, and I love it ‘cuz it’s cool, and ‘cuz you love it and you’re good at it… but sometimes it takes up a lot of family time.”

*sigh* And there went THAT little piece of my soul…

Sure, I know, like Jeanne said: “9 year-olds say stuff! – Let it go!” Easier said than done, no?

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
-Steve Jobs

Balance.
Time.

How much time do we sell to strangers that we should be giving away to the people we love?

Strangers may not be the right word… but it’s close enough to make the question relevant in my head.

We make commitments. We pursue dreams. We balance.
Or, we try to. Some days it works. Some days… you just resolve to try harder.

“We don’t deserve to be old and sitting on a porch – you have to earn that.” – Hope
(from David Schulner’s “An Infinite Ache”)