"Windows" of Time

An incredible mentor and friend once posed these questions to me: How long are we on earth? How much can we do in the time we'll be here? What do we really want to do, say, or how can we help a worthy cause?

Growing up in western culture, we constantly hear about the "next" thing in our lives (business, family, or whatever the profession or trade might be) - and what those "achievements" are "supposed" to look like; however, we seldom are really asked or reminded about the brevity of life and time, or inquired about honest fulfillment. And, there might be valid reasons behind that omission. However, Dr. Stephen Covey briefly writes about some possible reasons for a stationary mode of thinking in his "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and Professor Larry Smith, from the University of Waterloo, conveyed animated thoughts on why people today "fail to have great careers" in his 2011 Tedx Talk presentation. Both are worth the read or the listen, and they both ignite honest self-exploration. So, how long are we here? How much can we do during the time we have? What do we really want to do, to say, or how can we help a worthy cause?