Twenty Minutes

What if…You have finished all your work and find that you have twenty minutes absolutely free. You are home alone and must remain in the house. What would you do in that allotted time? Bear in mind that “social networking” will not be allowed. No telephones, “texting,” TV, A/V devices, or computers! Would you spend the time, waste it, use it, or kill it? There is a difference. And that difference can say a lot about you.

Some might read—a book, magazine, old mail. Some might write—a journal, a letter (paper only!), or a list of things to do. Others might make music or draw. A few might take a nap, or daydream. Maybe you would do yoga or another form of exercise. How many would pace the house like a caged animal?

There is no correct answer to this “what if”. If you reflect on what you would have done, how you would have filled those 20 minutes, you might learn something important about yourself. Are you comfortable with quiet, with being alone? Do you need something to do? Were you at a loss to fill those long, long minutes or were you happy to have the opportunity to do something you haven’t had time for in ages?

Did the nap refresh you? What did you dream? Were those twenty minutes a ‘treat’ or a “time waster”? Did the time pass slowly or quickly? Was it terribly difficult to be without your electronic toys for even that short period? Were you glad to “get on with your life” or would you want to have those twenty minutes again?

If you considered the time as 20 minutes to kill, what was so much more important that you were kept from? If you used your twenty minutes, do you feel like something was accomplished? If you wasted the time, is there cause for guilt or anger over such unproductive behavior? If you spent the time well, perhaps it could be considered an investment in yourself. Examine your reactions. Twenty minutes isn’t much. Your perception is all. The difference is subtle but important.

What if…you had those twenty minutes every day, a few times a week, or a couple of times a month? Could that small amount of time enrich your personal life? Is it valuable enough to you to want those minutes on a regular basis? How could you find the time? You don’t find it. You take it. What if…