Making time

You make time for the things and people you want to make time for in life.

This truth has become more and more significant in my life lately, and it's something I try to remind myself of on a daily basis.

Because some things are simply that important.

I love running. But I have to be at work each morning a little before 6, and I usually have much to do after the workday ends, so I wake up either at 3:02 or 3:29 a.m. every day so that I can get my run in before having to go to work. I make time for running, because I love it that much.

Life is full of so many events and tasks, and it's far too easy to get caught up in them and forget about finding joy outside of our own little objective-driven minds. After college, it seemed common to lose touch with old friends and become absorbed in the working world. When I started grad school and was teaching at the same time, I felt like I had no time for anything. I can think of multiple instances where I tried to make plans with people and wouldn't be able to find time or would have to cancel plans because there simply wasn't enough time in my schedule.

But you make time for the things and people you want to make time for in life.

This principle wasn't exactly engrained in my brain just yet, so I didn't really bother to think about how selfish I was or how much I was missing out on by not making time for some of the people who were supposed to matter most in my life. It can certainly be trying on friendships and family relationships. I can't imagine it would have been good if I had been dating anyone at the time, either.

The truth is, we weren't meant to walk this life alone. It's not only lonely and boring, but it's also just plain silly. I don't know how many people there are in this world—because it's obviously a number that's changing by the second—but I do know that there sure are a lot of others out there with whom we can be spending time and forming lasting relationships. Hearts filled with love are meant to be shared, not contained and stored away while we let self-ambitions keep us from what we're really meant to do in this world: love others.

Take time to make time.

Last month at the half in Dallas, my sister and a group of our friends woke up earlier than they normally would on a Sunday morning to come cheer for me. They couldn't stay super long after the race, because they were trying to make it to church on time, but it really meant a lot to me that they would give up time they could be using to sleep longer or use as extra get-ready time so that they could show me how much they cared for me.

Because you make time for the things and people you want to make time for in life.

During my first year of teaching, my dear friend and former college roommate Katie and I used to chat on the phone in the mornings before work every two weeks or so. She lives in Round Rock now, so we rarely get to see one another, but we still wanted to keep up with each other and maintain our friendship. Sure, there were mornings when one of us would call, and the other would obviously be scattered and trying to get stuff together for the day, but we would just put those stresses aside for a few minutes so that we could connect with a friend worth keeping. She's married and has a kiddo on the way now, but we still catch up as often as we can.

Because you make time for the things and people you want to make time for in life.

I understand that there are moments or events you simply physically cannot make happen because of conflicts, but there are other instances when things can be rearranged on your schedule. If you have to give up a much-anticipated afternoon nap because an old friend is in town and wants to grab coffee, save the sleep for later; if your baby sister is hosting a date auction, but you have somewhere you're supposed to be when it starts, leave your event early so that you can be there for her; if you feel like you're losing touch with someone important in your life, pick up the phone to make a call; if you have a group of friends who get together once a week just for fun and forgetting about the daily struggles life can bring us, make it a point to be there; if you make plans with someone, be where you say you are going to be; if someone asks you for a favor, set aside what you're doing for a bit to let love and selflessness dominate your heart; if it's a gorgeous day out, and you feel like you have a million errands or chores to do, make time to go for a walk, run, bike ride or to fly kites outside, instead; and spend time with people as much as you can.

Because you make time for the things and people you want to make time for in life.

We only get to live one life. What's the point in spending it doing things that either make us miserable or turn out to be nothing but tasks filled with self-driven motives? God doesn't place people in our lives by accident. They are there so we can love them and spend time with them. By making time for things and people who actually matter, we aren't wasting time—we're investing it and fulfilling it.

The one thing you have to ask yourself is what it is you want to make time for in life.