Dear Time,

My goodness how fast you move; in the blink of an eye a new day has begun. An old one has passed soon once recent memories will become distant and unknown as new journeys begin. Boy oh boy how I wish I could slow you down sometimes. How I wish I could appreciate things a little more, old and new. How I wish I could live in each moment, each second, because we both know time is so very, very precious.

I hate the concept of you though, time. I hate that “time is limited” for me and those I love. I hate that on a normal day you decided “time was up” for my Dad, I truly hate you for that. I hate you for making me appreciate you after the fact, after that horrific loss. I hate you for moving so quickly and never slowing down. But I also appreciate you, and I recognize your power.

You see I’ve come to realize we all take you for granted Time. We all assume that your always on our side, working with us but I don’t think that’s always the case. I don’t think we come to realize just how precious you are until we experience something tragic that directly affects us. I don’t think we think about how you are not something to be taken for granted, rather something to be valued, to the highest extent.

I’ve also come to learn that there will never be enough of you. There would never be enough time to spend with my Dad to make his loss any easier. There is never enough time in the day to get it all done, to complete all the daily tasks.

The truth is I should be thanking you, because you have given me the most precious gift anyone can give, memories. You have given me a lifetime of memories with those I love, living and passed on, a boatload of laughs, and a handful of smiles. As the holidays approach I ask you all to remember this, to remember that your family is not to be taken for granted. To treasure the moments, you spend together, to keep them close to you, and in your heart always. That your friends don’t have to be your friends, they want to be. Spend quality time with them, enjoy them, cherish them because they too are truly precious. Leave nothing unsaid, to love so incredibly hard, and most important to know that your time is not given.