Time is everything… every minute you are one step closer to the end.

Above the door of the house in Thailand I live in I wrote the text; “The clock won’t find you here.”

It is an invitation to people who want to work with me that there is time and attention for them. More and more I discover the basic need of people for attention and breathing. Beside that they need time to work on realizing their goals and dreams and to try to make sure the next thing goes right for them. Trying to keep grip on life.

Being a CEO of the Safety Region Zeeland in The Netherlands, from my colleague a couple of years ago I got a book with the title; “Time is everything…”. A merely and inspiring book that, whenever I have the chance, I just open at a random page. Every time again it shows new insights. We even organize a program here about this theme.

Time really is everything. Most of the time we do not even realize it. Yes, sometimes and only for a short while, when some of our friends or colleagues abruptly passes away. Or if we, or one of our love ones get a sad message of for instance health. Immediately life changes and things in life get another meaning. Priorities change, thoughts change. What would you do if you know you only have to live for one more week?

In the Thai village I live - and I think everywhere here at the countryside - time has another meaning. This meaning has everything to do with the status death has in this culture. It’s being seen as a normal and accepted part of life. A mark for an end but directly also for a new beginning to celebrate. A kind of fresh start. Last week, during a contemplation about ‘death’, it made me even more clear.

No person or situation in life could ever teach you as much as death has to teach you it said. Death show you the insignificance of the things that you cling on, it takes them all away in a split second. There is no difference between poor or rich, man or woman, status or position, races or whatever else. Death makes us all the same.

What can we learn from death? The question was raised how long you are going to wait to live life the fullest? How long do you wait till death becomes your teacher?  Why wait until everything is taken from you before you learn to dig down deep inside yourself to reach your highest talents and potential and live life in a (even more) valuable way? If with one final out-breath all of this can change, why bothering about so many not really valuable issues now and ‘spoil’ time of life? Don’t you want to live before death comes? A few things I wrote down:

• There is something in us that sometimes won’t let us live and enjoy our lives. It is so busy trying to make sure our future will be fine that we can’t just be in the here and now and live life. 
• We are months or sometimes even years ahead of ourselves. Because of this we are not even aware of the present moment and do not enjoy and-or celebrate what we already reached in life. 
• If you live life fully, you won´t have any last wishes. You will have lived them every moment. 
• If you make your final week to live the most important week, ask yourself what did you do with the rest of life-time. Did you waste it?
• The beauty is, you do not have to change life; You just have to change how you live life.
• It’s not what you are doing; it’s how much of you is doing it (awareness of enjoying life).
• Life itself is your career, not the other way around. 
• Your interaction with life is your most meaningful relationship. 
• What actually gives life meaning is the willingness – and the courage - to experience life’s events. 
• Life is not something you get; it’s something you experience. 
• Life exists with or without you.  You are not living life; you’re living your thoughts.
• Start using every day to let go of that scared part of you that won’t let you live life fully.

What are you doing with life? That’s what death asks you. Don’t get uptight about it. Instead, let this knowledge help you to live every moment of your life fully, because every moment matters. Feel invited to live with that level of awareness and enjoy life maybe even more. 


Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com