How have we monetized our lives? We equate time with money, but time is not money. Time is life.
It seems that, of all the things we appreciate each day, time is the one we care about the least. Especially when we have been told that time is money, therefore, when money does not show up as a reward for our time spent, we fail to see how important time is. But is time really money? No. Time is life, and he who appreciates the gift of life is wise.
The light of the candle. Fathers are like candles that keep giving light using their own lives
No photocopy of life
Mental health for men (June)…talk about Michael’s message.
Light up others…the only way to keep the candle burning without end.
Waking up in the morning light to the sound of chirping birds in the garden and the humming sound of the passing airplane might not sound like a miracle of life until there is a loss that reminds us that life is a gift and time is not just the ticking clock, but a reminder that what was yesterday might not be today, and what is today is not guaranteed tomorrow.
I remember riding on the back of a commercial bike (Boda) in Nairobi. I was coming from an engagement I went to. As we rode gently along, another bike zoomed past us in a rather careless and dangerous manner. And the rider was not even wearing a safety helmet or any other safety gear. The scenario became a conversation between me and my rider as we continued our journey.
So, I asked him, why is it that these careless riders ride on the road as if they have photocopies of their lives in their closet? He laughed so much I had to remind him he needs to pay attention to the road.
But that question is a real one, not just for those using the road but for anyone living life. Do you have a photocopy of your life at home that you can pull out of your closet when there is a need for it? If you do not, like I know none of us do, will we at least be more careful of how we use and manage moments in our lives? If we know that life can change in one moment, can we at least learn how to be more grateful, more present in the moment, more connected to those who make moments great memories, and as much as it is within our power, make life a better place for all?
We must give time and appreciation for the things that matter in our lives: the little ‘happy birthday’ gifts, the smiles from our colleagues, the sweet hugs from our children, the playful wink from our spouse that reminds us that we are seen and loved. We must give time and appreciation to the people in our lives, especially those who make small moments great memories.
My brother, Amos Onyango, in his Facebook post, worded it very well. He says:
There is a quiet tyranny in how we treat time, spending it as though it were a currency forever replenished, when in truth it is closer to a candle, diminishing even as it gives us light.
One might whisper rather than loudly declare that “every fleeting minute is a small lifetime in disguise.” And how often do we overlook these tiny lifetimes? We rush past them, dismiss them, postpone them, as though a single minute were too insignificant to carry meaning. Yet within sixty seconds, a heart can soften, a dream can ignite, a life can change its course without ceremony.
A minute is not merely time, it is presence distilled.
It is the mother’s glance that says more than a speech.
It is the craftsman’s final stitch that transforms fabric into legacy.
It is the silent decision to rise again, when surrender feels easier.
Dickens often wove into his prose a reverence for the ordinary moment those uncelebrated fragments of life where human dignity quietly asserts itself. And so we are reminded, not through proclamation but through gentle realization, that “no moment is too small to be kind, or too brief to matter.”
To appreciate a single minute is to resist the arrogance of tomorrow. It is to stand still in a world that worships haste, and to say: this right here is enough to be grateful for.
So pause, if only for a minute. Not because time is abundant, but because it is not.
For in the end, life does not ask how many years we lived, but how deeply we inhabited the minutes we were given.
Globally, an estimated 720,000 to 740,000 people die by suicide every year. This translates to approximately one life lost every 43 seconds.
Globally, men account for approximately 75% to 80% of all deaths by suicide. Worldwide, men are over twice as likely to die by suicide compared to women, with a global rate of 12.3 male suicide deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 5.9 for women.
While women and girls report higher rates of suicidal ideation and non-fatal attempts, male suicide rates are significantly higher due to several key factors:
- Means and Lethality: Men tend to use more immediately lethal methods during suicide attempts.
- Societal Stigma: Traditional societal and cultural norms often pressure men to suppress emotional distress, which can lead to isolation and a reluctance to seek professional help for depression.
- Substance Use: Higher rates of unaddressed substance abuse among men can exacerbate underlying mental health issues and impulsive behaviors.
A candle spends itself to give light. Time spends itself to give life. In many ways, fathers do the same. This Father’s Day, we pause to honor the men who quietly sacrifice, provide, guide, protect, teach, and love. Many fathers carry burdens that few people see. They spend their energy, their dreams, their strength, and their time so that their families can flourish. This video is a tribute to fathers, grandfathers, mentors, and all men who have chosen responsibility over comfort and service over recognition. May this message remind us to appreciate the value of fatherhood and the immeasurable gift of a father’s presence.
