Time has its unwavering agenda.

Yesterday, I noticed an old piece of furniture that we own for 30+ years. What used to be a prized possession is now a liability. The wood lost its shine and the mirror doesn’t reflect much. It’s hardly functional these days.

The furniture had seen more glorious days. It stood as a silent witness to so many memories and precious moments.

Time converted beautiful woodwork into a relic of time. Yet, that change was nothing compared to the magnitude of change in people’s lives in those years.

My father bought that furniture when he was the head of the family. We used to live in a large family back then with my grandmother and uncle. We were all way younger and full of excitement.

Time took away my father, grandfather, and uncle. Our lives have also witnessed erosion in many other aspects.

I know of an educational institute that lost acres of land through the aggressive and persistent splashes of a mighty river. Like a river full of strong and hungry current, time kept on taking bit by bit from its shore

Time does just that to our lives.

Growth Brings Balance To A Time-Affected Life

If you are not busy building your life, you will only see losses shrinking your life. Yes, even with growth that can happen. But that is what you can do to help you keep looking forward.

Find ways to build a life involving more people, newer experiences, and life events.

Only with your effort to grow, you can make sense of the changes time imposes on you.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the loss of life. It’s even easier to shut off the world and stop making any new connections. However, that is not how we should live.

A friend of mine struggled for years with personal and professional losses. He intentionally chose not to pursue growth in connections and career only to avoid any potential heartbreak. Yet, after he got out of that zone, he started finding meaning in life. His life holds more joy than ever, even though he is busier.

He chose the uncomfortable path to growth rather than the familiar yet shrinking comfort zone. His pains are now in the past. They are acting as building blocks to life, not the defining factors.

Final Thoughts

Life is never going to be the same, especially over some time.

Time will erode what you have. And it will also give you new gifts if you are willing to receive them.

Two similar saplings can blossom into two completely different trees. Be like the tree that grows and gives. Not the one that gives up facing the calamities of life.

This article was first published on Illumination publication.