TIMING IS EVERTHING
TIMING IS EVERTHING
Have you ever tried asking your mom for your allowance when she’s exhausted or angry?. Do you remember her reaction? Or have you ever tried submitting your school requirements after the due date set by your teacher?
These are all simple situations that show that timing is really everything. Just like in our lives, we need to learn about timing in everything that we do. Do you have a ridiculous and embarrassing moment but somehow you consider it a funny experience like trying to woo your mom to give you an extra allowance when you just had been scolded? I guess most of us had experienced that during middle school or in college. I remember myself when I was in middle school, I had a crush on my older brothers’ best friend and there will be a birthday party in three days’ time. We are all invited of course. He’s very close to our family because my mom is his godmother and my older brother is his best friend.
Normally, I will give him a simple present only like a box of chocolates or his favorite chips, but that time I was tempted to buy another present for him. The problem was I don’t know what to buy and how am I going to give it to him without knowing from whom is the present. So, one afternoon, I skipped my last subject and went to a gift shop. I ended up buying a set of limited edition sports car collections. It cost me a big-time but I don’t mind because I know he likes to collect toy cars just like my brother. I asked the shopkeeper to wrap it beautifully and I was satisfied with his work so I decided to give him an additional dollar.
When I’m done with my mission, I checked the time and it was perfect so I went back home. I was confident that my mom would not ask anything because it’s my usual time to arrive from school. So, I went straight to my room but I was surprised to see my mom quietly sitting on my bed. She looked like she was actually waiting for me to come home instead of tending her rose garden. She looked at me and without a word, she demanded my backpack. I can’t move. I told myself ” I’m finished. She knows!” I don’t remember what happened next. All I know is that she’s very angry and disappointed with me because I carelessly spent the money that was supposed to pay for my science camp. I was grounded for a weeks after that. She even confiscated my cellular phone. Oh, I remember before she closed the door, I called her and the words came out ” Mom, my teacher reminds us to pay tomorrow for the sports activity.” She glared at me and I covered my mouth with my hands. My mom is the most gentle, sweet, and loving mother but at that moment I saw a scary and strict mother in her.
To make the story short, she punished me by not letting me attend the sports event at school that leads me to do two weeks volunteering in the school library as a punishment given by my teacher.
She explained to me that I had to earn my lesson. My mom told me that I could ask her to buy a present for my brothers’ best friend (because she knows him of course) but I should have also considered our financial situation at that moment. I was guilty because I understand that I acted recklessly. She told me that the timing is not good because we are currently experiencing financial problems at that time.
I apologized to her for my actions and told her I will return the present to the gift shop then I will request a refund. She stopped me and told me to attend the birthday party and give the present personally. She told me that she knows my admiration for my brothers’ best friend. We had a good chat after that. We talked openly about the stuff. I remember she said that it is okay to have crushes but I need to be responsible. I’m still young and there are still a lot more things to look forward to instead of focusing on such a thing. She told me that when the time is right, she will allow me to have a relationship, but definitely not at that time. She even mentioned that middle school is the most fun and memorable stage of life so I should savor the time with school, gain more friends and create good memories with them. She advised me that timing is everything. That I should trust the timing of every season of my life. Time is valuable and precious, we need to use it wisely and productively.
Our decisions in life should be evaluated well enough to avoid regrets in the future. There are lots of opportunities present each day, it always depends on us on how we are going to respond to these opportunities. Let yourself grow by taking responsibility in life. Learn to dance with your own rhythm and timing is everything. You may stumble sometimes, but if you just keep on moving forward, you’ll definitely learn your own timing.