Time is a precious resource

SARA BUBBER tells a story about a king who set a challenge in order to find an assistant. The outcome teaches us the value of time. She also gives us a thoughtful heart activity, and tells us some fun facts about time. 

The king’s advisor

Once there lived a king who was looking for an assistant: a man of virtues like hard work, respect for time, commitment, welfare, and many more good qualities. When the king announced it, the people of his kingdom were very excited. Who didn’t want to work for the king himself? Not only did he receive hundreds of applications from within his country, he received thousands from neighboring areas as well. As he began to sort them, he didn’t know how he would choose the best candidates for further rounds of interviews.

His wise chief minister made a list of people who could be shortlisted. He made his selections by screening the applicants, then by a series of tests on being kind to strangers, the willingness to learn new skills, alertness, and other things the king would want in an assistant. Finally, the candidates were narrowed down to three.

The king finally met them and congratulated them for reaching so far in the process of selection. He told them that the next task was the best and a challenge everyone should be up for. As the tasks so far had been exciting, like horse riding, finance, presenting talents, playing games, everyone looked forward to it.

The king announced there was a tank that held a thousand liters of water, which had to be drained into various water holders for the people of the kingdom. The candidates were ready and asked the king for hoses to transfer the water, but the king said there would be no hoses used, only a pail that was as small as their little finger. The men were stunned at the enormity of the task.

Giving anyone your time is
the most valuable gift you
can ever give them.

They began to work. With the first few pails, one of them men left thinking it was too much work. The update was sent to the king. The other two men continued. For two days they slogged in the sun. The second man finally gave up and went home. The third man continued and his hand touched something made of glass. He brought the bottle out and it contained a note. As he opened the note, it read, “This is the reward for persevering when you know the task is impossible. Impossible tasks can overwhelm you in the beginning, but you may move into them, pail by pail, just like today. Congratulations on assuming your new role as the king’s advisor.” The man wondered why he was being made the king’s advisor when the job was for an assistant.

The king came over and told the man he had offered his most precious asset, time. “Giving anyone your time is the most valuable gift you can ever give them. Welcome aboard!”

Heart activity 

We are all unique, we come from different backgrounds, have various qualifications, and speak diverse languages. But there are two things that are the same for everyone—the heart and time!

Heart and time go together. When you put your heart into something, you will give it your time.

Inside this heart, write the names of people, animals, things or passion projects you are going to take more time for this month.

Fun facts about time

• The concept of “time” in English comes from the Greek “chronos,” which means chronological or ordered.
• In ancient times, there were various ways to measure time including sun dials and water bowls.
• Both the Indian and Greek societies made use of sundials to tell the time using shadows of the sun.
• All cultures experience time differently. Some feel it is linear, some feel time moves from left to right, and some feel that time is cyclical.