The Gift Of Time

The gift of time? How can time be a gift? What is a gift of time? Sit back and I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a wife and mother. She had a special needs child as well as was a special education teacher. She threw herself into motherhood and teaching with passion and energy. However, after a decade she was simply burnt out. Nothing really inparticular, just burnt out. But what does one do with an education degree if one isn't teaching?

In steps our other character.



Her husband. He suggested that the wife take a year off. Don't worry about the paycheck. We can get by with a year off. We've got some money saved up. We just finished paying off the credit cards. Now is the year to do it.

But then I won't be contributing to the household finances she said.
But then I won't be using my degree that I worked so hard for she said.
But then I won't be teaching she said.
But we'll have to do without the extras she said.

But you need a break he said.
You need a year off he said.
You have stack of books you haven't read he said.
You have ideas that you don't have time to develop he said.
You have hobbies you don't have time for he said.
You've always wanted to volunteer he said.

Really she asked.
You'd be OK with the loss of my income she asked.

You'll be happier he said.
I love you and I want you to be happy he said.
Enjoy your gift of time he said.

That gift of time has allowed the wife to better balance her life goals, catch up hobbies, volunteer at her son's school and start her own part-time business. The gift of time has reduced the wife's stress and allowed her to find again her balance in life.

That gift of time was given out of unconditional love from a husband to a wife.
That wife though, had already received the best gift of all. It wasn't the gift of time. It was finding her husband.

Husband - if you are reading this, I love you more than you'll ever know!


This post has been brought to you by The Parent Bloggers Network and Excitations - give the unexpected.

What has been the most memorable gift you have received? Why was it memorable?