“Life is a swift journey. Chasing money is like falling into quicksand, it will consume your precious time but the beloved time spent with loved ones is never wasted. So make the little time that you have on the earth count.” He would impart his words of wisdom to me while he gifted me his hourglass. I never truly understood what he meant when he uttered those words of, I was a young child, lost in imagination of unicorns and childish ambitions.
Oupa…
He would sit in a crouched position with his elbows leaning on the edge of the bed while he watched boxing. Freshly brewed glen tea always adorned his bedside table and scrumptious butter biscuits, in his saucer. He would playfully share those biscuits filled with many joyful memories with me while I sat next to him and occupied my young self with my favourite Barbie dolls.
Sadly, the ticking clock of life spares no one. As time went by, I slowly started to grow with it. Wobbly and inexperienced, I gradually began to lift myself up from that once beloved spot next to Oupa and like the moon I transitioned into many phases of my young and inexperienced life. Now and then, I would pass by and catch a quick glimpse of Oupa , in his usual position. It became difficult to sit and have a quick biscuit with him. As soon, as I left his side I occupied my mind with hobbies and ideas far more interesting than tea and biscuits.
“Come here, little one have a biscuit with me?” He would eagerly plead. His wrinkly lonely eyes begged desperately. He further continued, “Life is a swift journey but the time spent with loved ones is never wasted.” As the ever changing uncertain raging hormones within my youth took hold of me, I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I was yet to understand the beauty of those uttered words.
“Uhm, maybe next time Oupa. I have to meet my friends at the mall,” I would eagerly comment as I made my way out the door. Excited to get away.
As life progressed I saw less of Oupa and more of life and it’s many complications. Conquering the corporate jungle was my main goal. I climbed every ladder swiftly, like a starving monkey climbing up a fruitful tree rampant with bananas. I made many connections acquainted myself with many VIPs. Wealth, influence and every business opportunity presented to me I sought to conquer. Until one dreadful day, with one rotten decision, like a ton of bricks…everything came crashing down…With the loss of my wealth, like a stack of falling dominoes everything that I had attained with it… swiftly vanished…My so-called friends and influence, gone.
I eventually found myself sitting in the cobbled street with only a ripped blanket to aid me from the bitter cold. My eyes fell on a little joyful girl having tea and biscuits with her…Oupa. His memory dawned upon me…
OUPA. I reached into my wore torn wallet filled with nothing but emptiness and searched for the little hourglass I placed somewhere in between the dents. The hourglass was empty. The sand was no longer running through the many stages of life. It was depleted and reached it’s final destination. The hourglass was empty.
“Life is a swift journey. Chasing money is like falling into quicksand, it will consume your precious time but the beloved time spent with loved ones is never wasted. So make the little time that you have on the earth count.”
“OUPA and his words of truth,” I silently uttered. I finally understood the depth of these words, when I found myself in lonely old age, sitting on my bed with freshly brewed Glen tea and scrumptious butter biscuits waiting for someone to spare a minute of their day or time to spend with me.