QUALITY TIME By: Kent Omison One day a friend asked me with all curiosity. “Kent, why do you keep on going home, lately? Don’t you have anything important to do here?” (he’s referring to my job) I wasn’t surprised with the question. My parents asked the same. Out of the blue, I would just pop out at home without prior notice. Let me tell you why. For the past six years, I have been working like a carabao. My mind was set on the tasks connected to work. I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon on our table. I had to get off my butt and really work hard to help my family. Being the breadwinner was no joke. I had to work thousands of miles and a distance of many islands away from the people dear to me. I had to keep all the pains and failures from them, so they won’t be bothered. I had to give up my dreams at some extent. I had to stay strong though there were times I was at my weakest. I have never had any regret for the things I have done. I know a lot of people out there who could relate to what I was going through. However, I realized I was missing something in life. The time that I got sick made me go back home. We were not rich but my parents treated me like a prince. It was a total different experience. I am a matured man yet my mother pampered me like a baby. You might think it’s embarrassing? You bet. Yet somehow we need it. I needed it. One time after playing basketball, I asked my mother to give me a back massage. ( Let me tell you something; everytime I ask my mom to give me a massage, she would be very happy. As in happy! Sometimes, though she’s already tired, she still asked me if I wanted her to massage my back. She just wanted to have a little chit-chat with the most-good-looking guy on earth. She’s in bliss on those times. ) That moment when she landed her palm on my back, I could certainly feel the wrinkles. After a couple of minutes, that hard-pressed massage was gone. It is not the same strength that she used to have. She’s getting older. A thought dawn on me: “How many massage sessions do I have left with her?” The following day, I asked my father for a swim. He didn’t feel like swimming, by the look on his face, yet he still agreed. You know my father is not the touchy-feely type of a man to his son, so as me to him. I bet most men are like that. Firm. Cold. Reserved. But you know they have a heart. And off we went. And there I was, awesomely enjoying my morning swim in serene, calm, salty water, while my father was just walking along the shore. Picked a stick and wrote something on the sand. Once in a while he would take a glance on me making sure I am safe. Boy, my heart pumped faster than normal. I couldn’t contain my emotions. Tears were streaming down my face. I began to ask myself, “How many more moments like this will I be able to experience? Until when will he still be there to check on me, making sure I am safe?” It took me a long time to realize that everything in life is about relationship. Without it, we perish. We die. Yes I was making a living for them but that’s not the only thing there is to life. You might be reaping a lot of money, without relationship, you are doomed to emptiness. Success is not only there is to life, we need significance. Our significance comes when we start to value every relationship that we have. Friend, when you think every valuable thing on earth is gone, think again. You still have the time. It is your most important ally. Invest in time. Invest in relationship.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 10:28:13 +0000
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