Waste Not, Want Not

Our most limited and precious resource is being used as if it's in infinite supply. Everyday people use it up to make money and gain power. They buy it and sell it as if what they're getting in exchange is worth something more. We even use more of it so that we can leech it to the last reserves, just to see our children waste it only as easily. No, I'm not talking about natural resources; although, the parallels were intentional. I'm talking about time. I don't agree with the expression, “time is money.” I think that time is worth more. Time is the most limited resource for anyone on this planet. We are only given a set amount, and none of us is sure how much. True, time, like energy, is virtually unlimited as far as the universe is concerned, and depending on your religious beliefs, the soul may be immortal. However, the one thing that every living being is guaranteed is death. Industrialization has facilitated the spread of technology and resources which have allowed us to live longer than ever, but it has also forced us to spend more of our time at work than people ever did before. But, however you slice it, our time in this life is limited, and its something that we will never get back. So why don't most of us appreciate what little of this resource we have? Now, I have been lucky to have an abundance of time to myself lately. Time that is mine to do with what ever I want. Free time (most people would be more excited about free money). But I end up spending a lot of my time thinking about other things that I “should” be doing with it, while not appreciating what I have right now; the only time that I am guaranteed. I find myself thinking that I should get a job so that I can have money to use in my free time. Because that would be the responsible thing to do. Invest time now and convert some of it into money so that I can enjoy my future time more. Just hope that the market doesn't crash before then. I realize that's an investment we all have to make. That's the way the world works, whether you like it or not, but it's something that I have a hard time reconciling myself with. I prefer to gamble. In fact, I recently came to the realization that I have a gambling problem. My name is Jason and I have been gambling seriously since 2001. I've gotten into debt pretty bad because of it. I have a mountain of student loans that I have accrued (so that I could spend so much time in school to learn how to properly use words like accrued). I've spent as much time in school as possible, in hopes of spending less time outside of it, to pay off the money that I spent in it. But, I do it mainly because I have more free time now than I will have when I am done. True, I do have to work hard and spend time studying, but it's not the same type of day to day, time consuming routine as a normal job. I know that when I get into the “real world” I'll be working a lot more hours per week, and I won't get as many vacation days. The work might not be as hard, but it will use more of my most precious resource. So, why do I waste this time that I've gotten on credit worrying about what I'll have to spend for it, instead of appreciating it before I have to give it back? And why do people who spend most of their time at work, so that they are able to enjoy free time, use it to worry about things that won't matter after their resources are used up anyway? I want to appreciate the time that I have right now. Actually I take back what I said before. Maybe time is like money, because I think that all money is spending money. True, you should save some for unexpected situations, but if you're not planning on spending it, what's the point? Carpe diem!

You'd better get busy, though, buddy. The goddam sands run out on you every time you turn around.... You're lucky if you get time to sneeze in this goddam phenomenal world.
- J. D. Salinger
Franny and Zooey