Too busy earning a living, no time to enjoy life

One of the saddest realization that confronts both the poor and the rich is when they are about to die and they come to realize that they have never had the time to enjoy the beauty of life. And one of the nuggets of wisdom I have learned from my masters is that we should not wait for a specific time to enjoy life, given the many tasks and responsibilities we have. We can savor every moment as the here and now, where our positive outlook can make us smile and be grateful for the many gifts given to us. And the most important and effective way to feel genuine happiness is when we see that our acts bring joy to someone we love and care about.

My maternal grandmother lived in a big farm in the mountains all her life, with eight children. She had a very mild-mannered, hardworking husband; our grandfather seldom spoke a word. All my uncles and aunts had a very difficult life. My mother, the eldest, completed her studies and so, somehow she had a better life, or so we thought. But my mother was too busy being a teacher; she never had time to enjoy life. And so, when I was already in the corporate world, I made sure I brought my grandparents and parents to hotels, resorts, and out-of-town trips. I could discern that they were not comfortable enjoying life. They always thought of the folks left behind.

The people living in cities are too busy with work, social activities, and other involvements. They have to rush through traffic and hectic schedules, deadlines, and various engagements and appointments each day. The father is out working in the office, and the mother has her own business and activities. The children are in school. On Sundays, the kids go out with their friends and peers. The father has golf and the mother is left alone doing the laundry and cleaning house. They have no bonding time. If they are able to squeeze through schedules, they eat outside but each one has a gadget and they hardly talk and enjoy. Everyone is in a hurry.

Is this then the meaning of life? The first 20 years are spent getting an education. The second twenty years are for getting a career and starting a family. The third twenty years are spent working to send the kids to college until they marry and be on their own. The fourth set of twenty years is time to retire and still care for the grandchildren. There has been no time to smell the flowers, to travel to Boracay, Palawan, Siargao, or here in Moalboal and Badian. No time to visit friends and attend reunions and gatherings. Life is too short. And most people spend all the years rushing to work, and don’t see the beauty of the world or savor the sweetness of life. Sayang oy.