time is the most valuable thing

that quote was taken from this article-
http://www.threenewleaves.com/what-minimalism-means-to-me/
it's a really great read.

i always think about time. about the minutes and moments that make up our lives, and how important it is not to squander them. when i would get impatient with all the living i wanted to do, my mom used to say to me 'hay mas tiempo que vida.' which means, 'there's more time than there is life to live it.' meaning that i have more than enough time to do all that i want to in life, to experience it all, and be happy. it's not always easy. i told myself i should write today. i got out of work early yesterday and made a feeble attempt at writing a poem before i fell asleep. the thing is, being creative calls for a lot of time, unstructured, uninterrupted time, at least for me.

for me to access that creative part of my mind, i need to be relaxed and unrushed and not thinking about the chores i need to do. i guess that's why natalie goldberg, author of 'writing down the bones' advises that writers go write in a cafe, away from the dirty dishes. talk about good advice! i've always liked writing in libraries too, i just love and adore quiet and peace in my surroundings, whether i am being creative or not.

the other day my coworker and i were talking about what we would do if we won the lottery. she said she wouldn't be able to sit at home and do nothing. i said i'd probably do that for a few months or a year, to recover from all the fatigue and suffocation of being a corporate slave since i was 23 years old, and then i would work. but i would do work i love, which is writing. she said i could start my own magazine, but i said i thought more along the lines of self publishing a book, maybe a chapbook (or two) of poetry, and really taking the time to make sure my poems are perfect and sound just the way i'd want them too. or maybe i'd write an ebook. i'd still be engaging my mind and therefore, i wouldn't be bored.

i'd definitely take the time to exercise, since i'd have a lot more energy from not working. and i'd live someplace quiet so i could meditate daily. what a peaceful and happy existence that would be. sometimes i think i should still try to get into freelance proofreading. i tell myself to go over my notes from my classes and contact my professors (i still have their email addresses) with any questions i might have about what to charge per page and how the taxes work out, which is what i find most confusing. but there's no reason why i can't still try to establish myself in that area.

i scanned a bunch of old pics a couple of weeks ago and here is one of my favorites, it's me walking in London just outside of Harrod's department store. i'm the one in the big sunglasses. click on it to see it full size