Time

Time
By Ria

“Will you play Mrs. Pat with me?”

“No baby, I don’t have time.”

…

“Can I play the computer?”

“No, I don’t have time to watch you.”

…

“Will you try out for the play?”

“No, I don’t have the talent, and if I did I wouldn’t have the time.”

…

“Can you watch me on the zip line?”

“No, I have too much to do.”

…

“Will you play cards with me?”

“No, I don’t want to, I don’t have time.”

…

“Will you read me a book?”

“No, I don’t have time.”

…

“Will you say my prayers?”

“No, I don’t’ have time.”
…

“Will you pray for me?”

“No, I don’t have time.”

…

“God…I haven’t had much time for you lately, but will You help me?”

What would happen if God gave my standard answer…”No, I don’t have time.”?

Every day I see my siblings, and they always want to do something, they are always getting in the way of what I was planning on doing. Why can’t I just put what I was doing away? How hard could it be? Is it so important that I read that book that’s just like the rest?

One day I’ll be married, or I’ll move away, or they will grow up, and then they won’t want to spend time with me. Maybe they’ll just stop asking; maybe not. They haven’t stopped asking though, so they must still love me. They haven’t stopped climbing into my lap, or hugging me when I’m walking down the hall; even when every time they try to talk to me I push them away: especially the older ones. Is it so hard? No, it’s not.

I have a sister, older then me, who moved out when I was 11 because of some issues between her and my parents. I had stopped asking her to play with me, because she was always gone, and then she wasn’t there at all…no more asking. I asked myself if she would have stayed if I had told her I loved her more, or if I had asked her more, but I don’t think it would have helped. I realized that, but I still wonder what she would do if I told her I loved her, because I do. Would it change her, or would she already know. She got mugged recently at gunpoint, what if she had been killed? Who knows. I care.

I’ve gotten 3 emails in the past 2 days: they were those kind that had been forwarded 100 times; but they all had one thing in common: have you told your friends and family how much they mean to you? Go ahead, before you miss the chance. It doesn’t take that much effort, and you do love them…do you just not have enough time?