The Gift of Time
With both Mother’s and Father’s Days approaching, we often find ourselves in a last-minute scramble to get our significant other a gift. We try to find something to show our appreciation, our love, and how grateful we are for one another. Or if we’re ambitious, we aim for something meaningful and crafty from the kids to add to the growing pile of personal keepsakes. We scour online for ideas or gift lists (thank goodness for Amazon Prime!) and we put undue pressure on ourselves to get that perfect gift. Let’s take a breath and be completely honest with one another: the one and only gift we all REALLY want is the gift of time.
Imagine having a weekend all to yourself with nothing scheduled and no to-do list. Imagine taking some guilt-free, self-care time to get a massage, get your hair done or spend a couple of hours at a spa. Imagine curling up in a blanket with your favourite snacks and uninterrupted time to binge-watch your favourite show, watch a game or catch up with a bunch of movies you keep meaning to watch. Imagine sleeping in past 8am!
Or maybe you’re the extrovert who never gets time with your friends and you feel rejuvenated by hanging out with your besties for an overnight, out of town stay. Perhaps you can team up with your spouse, drop the kids off at grandma’s, and go for that quiet, romantic weekend getaway you’ve been fantasizing about for ages. What would it be like if you had the time to tap into a creative outlet like painting, ceramics or writing that memoir you keep putting off? How much more time would you have to yourself if you had a cleaning service or someone to prep meals for a few weeks?
If your first reaction to any of these scenarios was a deep sigh and soft grin on your face, then the gift of time is more precious to you that anything on that Amazon wish list. Time is of the essence, so take charge and tell your partner or family that all you want is some time to yourself this year. Plan for a day to recharge or plan nothing at all – the time is yours and you deserve it!
Frank Emanuele is a proud father of two boys, a special education teacher, and a director of Dad Club London.
