This is a story about an older woman who had watched her life fly away and did not feel that she had really lived it. When she turned sixty, she started thinking “Well, I will have about 20 years to live and I really want to make them count.” Therefore, she went out and bought 365 marbles for each year she would have left to live. (365 marbles x twenty years). This seemed like a lot of marbles but she put them in a big bin in her house and each day, she took one out and put it in her pocket to think about.

The years continued to go by and she said the exercise became almost a habit, until one day she reached in the bin and noticed she only had 365 marbles left, exactly enough for one year. From here on out, her attitude started to change dramatically. Each marble she withdrew took on increasing significance. The days and marbles continued to go by, but not without her trying to live each day to the fullest. Before she died, she said the activity made her aware of how precious each of our days really are. We take each day for granted until we only have a few left. Some of us don’t even realize this fact until it is too late.

Create a bowl for yourself. How long do you think you will live? How many marbles do you have left in your bowl? Do you count each day as a blessing, or can you hardly wait until it is over so you can get on to tomorrow? Do you throw away your week days and live for the weekends? Do you truly appreciate the time you are given each day and make the most of it? Do you treat each day as the gift of life it is? When will you start appreciating the time you are given?