Kate and John: A story of Time

"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."


-Carl Sandburg



I came across quite a story earlier today, and I thought I'd share it with you guys, so here goes...

A 34 year old single mother, Kate was on her way home from work one night drenched, tired, angry. ''I hate my boss, I hope he dies" she thought as she negotiated the final junction en-route her house, 9.45pm.

Finally, she got home in desperate need for tranquility, peace and quiet, as she struggled to lift herself in order to climb the three stirs that led to her apartment, there he was, John, her 15 year old son.

Startled, she asked "John, for Christ's sake, it's 10, what are you doing outside?" John wasn't as extremely pleased to see her mum as other children may have been, he looked distant, something was wrong.

John: "Mum, can I ask you a question please?" ''What is it?'' she asked, fearing the worst. John replied "Mum, how much do you earn in an hour?''
She was livid, she wondered why he sat outside all that time just so he could ask her such stupid question.

''So you mean you've been outside all this time so you could ask me that?'' she asked as she opened the front door and pushed him inside. ''Okay, I earn ¤1000 an hour, are you satisfied?''

"I just have one more question mum, could you please loan me ¤500? Please?'' John asked with a glow in his eyes. "What? How can you be so selfish? I should give you that money so you can buy a toy? Or something stupid? What about all the money I give you for school? Can't you save so you can buy all your crap? Go to your room and think about what you've done, you've made me very angry"

Kate sat on her bed that night, a lot concerned. "I didn't even ask him what he wanted the money for, I shouldn't have been so hard on him" she thought, she was restless, she couldn't sleep. So she took ¤500 and headed to John's room.

"John", "John??" she called. "I apologise for my reaction earlier, I was quite tired. I didn't even ask what you wanted the money for, anyway, here it is" as she stretched the ¤500 to John. "thank you very much mum, God bless you" as he excitedly collected the money. Then, to her surprise, he went under his pillow and brought out some other wads of bills.

"Wait John, you mean to tell me you had some money and you collected some more from me?" Kate asked as she was starting to get angry all over again.

But to her shock John stretched all the money to his mother "You earn ¤1000 every hour, I had ¤500, so I borrowed another ¤500 from you in order to buy an hour of your time tomorrow, I mιss you mum and I want to have dinner with you tomorrow".

Kate was touched, she hugged him as tears stream down her eyes.

This is an advice to everyone. Share some time with the people you love, because you just never know what could happen next. You own your time, don't waste it on people that don't matter.

Till next time,, Keep dreaming!!