By Mark Belter – CEO, Father, Husband, and Family Man
The Most Valuable Gift: Time
If someone asked me what the most valuable gift is, my answer would be TIME.
Time is priceless—it is the most precious gift anyone can have. There is truly nothing greater than time.
The Importance of Time
Let’s take a moment to talk about time. Many people, when asked about what matters most, might say health. While health is certainly important, it ultimately does not matter if you run out of time.
I’ve read stories about athletes collapsing mid-marathon, their time unexpectedly cut short. Or take my friend TJ, whose passing was the inspiration for this website. He was healthy and active but suffered a sudden brain aneurysm. His time was over, and just like that, the people who loved him had to go on without him.
Time Is Everything
The truth is, no one knows when their time will end. That’s why every second, every day should be spent living life to the fullest. We often hear this, and people say it all the time, but how many of us truly live this way? In reality, not many.
I try my best to make the most of each day, but even I don’t always succeed. However, I do make an effort to never leave the house without telling my loved ones I love them.
Life brings challenges, grief, and difficult times, but the key is to be thankful for the time we do have and to make each day as positive as possible.
Quotes on Time
There are countless quotes about time, many of which serve as powerful reminders of its value:
- “Time isn’t the main thing—it’s the only thing.”
- “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”
- “Time is like a river—you can’t touch the same water twice because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of life.”
- “An inch of time is worth an inch of gold, but you can’t buy back an inch of time with an inch of gold.”
- “Life, if well lived, is long enough.”
- “Time waits for no one.” (This is especially true—time never stops. No matter how hard life feels, time keeps moving forward.)
One of the best quotes about time is:
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once it’s lost, you can never get it back.”
Cherishing the Time We Have
At some point, each of us will run out of time. Some people live long lives, making it past 100 years old, while others leave this world far too soon.
No matter how much time we are given, we should cherish each moment and be grateful for another day to spend with loved ones or to make a positive impact. Every single day is a new opportunity—to be kind, to help someone, to smile, to coach, to watch a movie, to be grateful, or even to just slow down and enjoy life.
Wasting Time
Too often, people act as though they have all the time in the world. They waste the gift of time by being angry, resentful, negative, stressed, or constantly worrying. Many things in life are beyond our control, and yet people waste precious moments dwelling on things they cannot change.
The reality is, time will pass regardless. The storm you’re facing right now? It will eventually pass, too.
But sadly, many people don’t truly appreciate time until it’s too late—when they receive a cancer diagnosis, when they are suddenly faced with their own mortality, or when tragedy strikes.
I’ve learned firsthand that a normal day can turn upside down in an instant. A heart attack, a medical emergency, a car accident, an act of violence, or a tragic accident—these things happen every single day, and none of us are immune. All it takes is one phone call to change everything.
So why do we let days slip away without being grateful for the time we have?
How We View Time
Time can be looked at in many different ways.
- Every one of us has an expiration date. The time we get on this earth with our loved ones is a gift, and how we use that time is up to us.
- When my dad passed away, I struggled to process his absence. His time here was up, and that meant no more phone calls, no more visits, no more watching my boys play sports, no more Father’s Days, no more stories, no more advice—it was all gone.
I did so much with my dad, and I have so many wonderful memories, but I wish I had more time. I wish I had said yes to that extra dinner or made the time for that NASCAR race he wanted to go to. Looking back, I regret all the moments I let slip by, assuming there would always be more time.
My aunt, my dad’s sister, once told me:
“There is never a good time to lose someone you love—you will always want more time.”
She was absolutely right. It doesn’t matter if my dad had lived two, five, or ten more years—at the end of the day, I would still want more time.
Tragic Events & Loss
Certain tragedies have stayed with me over the years—events that serve as painful reminders of how fragile time really is.
On 9/11, thousands of people started their day like any other, not realizing it would be their last. People went to work, boarded flights, kissed their families goodbye, never expecting that their time was about to run out.
I still watch 9/11 specials and listen to the final voice messages left by those who knew their lives were about to end. They called their loved ones just to say I love you—a simple phrase that became the last thing they ever said.
Another tragedy that shook me was Sandy Hook Elementary. At the time, I had an older son and two little ones, and the idea of sending my children to what should have been a safe place—school—was terrifying.
Now, I drive my three youngest boys to school every day. We listen to music, sing, laugh, and talk. I tell them to be kind and remind them that I love them before they get out of the car.
I can’t help but think of those Sandy Hook parents who did the exact same thing—only to receive the unthinkable news that their child wouldn’t be coming home.
Time is something we take for granted until it’s gone.
The Song That Says It All
The country song “Til You Can’t” perfectly captures what I believe about time:
“Take that phone call from your momma and just talk away
‘Cause you’ll never know how bad you wanna ’til you can’t someday
Don’t wait on tomorrow, ’cause tomorrow may not show
Say your sorries, your I-love-yous, ’cause man, you never know…”
“If you got a chance, take it—take it while you got a chance.
If you got a dream, chase it, ’cause a dream won’t chase you back.
If you’re gonna love somebody, hold ’em as long and as strong and as close as you can…
Til you can’t.”
Appreciate Every Moment
We should all cherish the time we have, valuing every minute with those we love.
If tomorrow never came, would the people in your life know how much they meant to you?
Sometimes, we need to just pause and appreciate life—watch the sunrise, listen to the ocean, skip that extra practice and go for ice cream, smile more, laugh often, and most of all…
Make the most of the time we have.
I hope we all try harder to appreciate time and live full, meaningful, and happy lives.