Time is precious. I think we value it more as we get older. When I was young I lived for the present and could only see what was happening in the ‘here and now’. I wanted to stay in bed late at the weekends, especially if I’d been out the night before. I can’t do that now. Those early morning hours are my favourite time of the day.
Some might say it’s a good thing; live in the present, be mindful, don’t worry about the past and let the future take care of itself. But like everything, it’s getting the balance right.
Time is so easily lost. We don’t always realise until later that we wasted our time on things that were of no benefit to us or those around us. Sometimes we waste time on people who don’t appreciate us. We often let people steal our time too. Sometimes we regret not having spent enough time with those we love, especially those who love and respect us back. It’s with experience and wisdom that we learn to recognise the difference.
Charli’s 99 word flash fiction challenge this week is about lost time. In 99 words, no more, no less, write about lost time. We are Holistic gets this week’s flash fiction post… Tasheenga’s blog, is okay with that. (Very hard to keep them both happy)
Regret
Rose opened the shabby old shoebox.
‘All my favourite things,’ she said softly with her hand on her heart. ‘You kept them.’
She rummaged through the box and lifted out a brown rubber watch.
Laughing she said, ‘Matt gave me this when we were eight.’
Nancy dabbed her eyes with her hanky. ‘I’m so sorry Rose…and ashamed. I’ve missed so much.’
‘We all have Mam. I’m sorry too, for staying away.’
The doorbell rang. ‘Are you ready?’ Rose asked.
Nancy nodded. Yes, she was at last ready to welcome her son-in-law Matt, and to finally meet her twenty-eight-year-old grandson.
If you you like creative writing but don’t have much spare time, these flash fiction challenges are fun to do. They exercise your mind – and your writing muscles. It’s quite therapeutic too. Check it out over on Carrot Ranch. Thank you for reading!
We Are Holistic 
Some relationships can be mended – others need to be let go.
It is as you say, a fine balance.
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Absolutely Jules!
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Keepsakes are very important. Helps us remember who we were and where we’ve been.
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I think so too Leanne! Thanks for reading 🙂
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Yes, it is therapeutic to exercise the creative mind with challenges! Thank you for engaging with the community, too, Gloria. I think that is a secondary exercise which helps us broaden the experience — reading, writing and responding. There is balance and growth in experiencing literary art.
Time is such a precious commodity. I liked how you framed regret over lost time, yet I’d like to hope that time might stand still and favor a family’s reconcilliation.
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Thanks Charli. It’s never too late for reconciliations.
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This is so incredibly, painfully true. “Time is so easily lost” – I’m feeling this more and more recently. Since the start of the pandemic, things have been so full on for me and yet the things I actually do seem to have very little meaning. Where’s the time for the fun stuff, making memories, making loved ones smile, doing something different? It’s a hard realisation that things need to change, but it’s better to come to it early and actually do something about it (that’s the part I’m finding difficult) rather than learning this too late.
Beautiful post.
Caz xx
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It has been very strange times indeed. I feel like we’re trying to squeeze in the fun stuff here and there, because time IS being lost. Even with the pandemic, time is still going fast. Thanks Caz. Take care! Grab those memories everywhere you can. 🙂
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