I have learned many things over the past year but one of the strongest and most powerful messages I can speak on is solely based on an hourglass. As a child it is hard to think you can make a difference but we do not need to be strong and built up to have a voice. Isabel Rosado Morales was a small Puerto Rican woman who changed the lives of all around her by expressing her emotions out loud and face forward. She never stopped working for her beliefs. She was an inspiration to many never giving up on what she wanted.

You see, we rush through our life so much without realizing that we have so much time. Breaking it down, we rarely give all the time we have to opportunity because of the fear of oblivion. We do not know what will happen next, so we spend our time in worry of “what if” thinking anything could go wrong, but instead a more optimistic mindset is needed.

There are twenty four hours in a day. If we sleep for eight of those hours and work for eight more of those hours in one day, there are still eight hours left. This is a change that I will make in my life. I challenge myself to think of something grand I can do with the last eight hours of my day. Oftentimes I spend that extra time to myself with the excuse that I need a rest, but I already get a third of my entire day to rest. From now on when others ask something of me and I say I have no time, I do have time! I have eight free hours to give them. I become selfish with my time and want to keep it to myself, but eight hours is a lot and has the potential to make a large impact. My challenge is to change my priorities. How will my eight hours be spent? Will I make something of them and make a difference in the world or will I dwell on them and be stingy?

Our life is an hourglass. Everything is on a timer, and we only get one hourglass. We can not just flip it over after the time runs out. When we are done with our time, will we be proud of what we have accomplished in our eight hours?

Never forget that hourglasses break. Live in the moment. Jump off the rock. Give the homeless a hug. Say hello to the man on the other side of the gas pump. You will regret it if you done because tomorrows are never promised.

Stay Humble. Live Gentle. And be kind.

Kira Pierce