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Don't Let Your Horse Carriage Turn Into A Pumpkin

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty 0575737

In real estate, they say there are something like 192 steps to go from contract to close. There are phrases like time is of the essence to deliver certain funds. In life, much is about time. To use it more efficiently. To make the most of it.

CinderellaPumpkinIn just the past few days it was illustrated how short and uncertain life is from the deaths of 13 yr old Boy Scouts from a tornado in Iowa to Tim Russert, newscaster, dying at age 58.

Like the Cinderella story, you feel sometimes like

       DON'T LET YOUR HORSE CARRIAGE TURN INTO A PUMPKIN BEFORE ITS TIME.

It may be close to midnight, you never know. You're running to get all the things done in your life, yet you know the sand is ebbing out of the hourglass.

I've heard of living in the present. I've learned to do that one better and live in the moment. Do you do that? Make each contact with all in your life a pleasant one the best you can. There is NO time for negativity. There is NO time for meaness. Time is ALWAYS slipping away and time along with energy from your health is one of life's most precious resources.  DON'T WASTE IT. You learn that as you get older. Be nice to EVERYONE.

Sometimes I think our life experiences the "cramming effect," like studying for a test. When we know it is limited we go in overdrive to work at putting something into it. Plan your year. Sprinkle vacations in there. Tell those you love, that you love them. Be the best YOU each day. Touch lives.

Above all, DO IT NOW!! Send that joke to someone TODAY not later in the week. Hug them TODAY, not when the situation is more appropriate. Support them TODAY not sometime in the future. If you live in the moment, you will be a complete person and never have any regrets.

Hurry up now, you must live in the moment and get on with it. You may lose a glass slipper along the way in your run. But your carriage won't turn into a pumpkin before you're where you need to be.

Comments (17)

Kathy Passarette
Creative Home Expressions - Mount Sinai, NY
L.I. Staging/Decorating

Gary ~ Very timely post given the recent news stories you have mentioned.  I remember thinking about this back when 9/11 occurred. 

We have (for years) always ended our phone conversations in my family with "I love you".  It took some time for my parents and siblings to get in the groove with it, but my hubby and I have done it since we got married and then always did it with our kids (it is just second nature to them).  We say it and we mean it.  I want my loved ones to know they are loved, even if it's just when I'm ending a phone conversation.

Jun 13, 2008 08:15 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Kathy: You have that GREAT perspective and practice of living in the moment with the reminders of the "I love you's" with family. That will keep you all close and you are not wasting even a single second of your time together. Terrific!!

Jun 13, 2008 08:27 AM
Kevin McGourty
Realty ONE Group - Phoenix, AZ

Great blog, but I still think our culture is OD on time.

Jun 13, 2008 08:32 AM
Kelly Sibilsky
Licensed Through Referral Connection, LTD. - Lake Zurich, IL

I'd comment, but I need to go scoop up Zoey the Wonder Puppy and give her a scratch behind the ears. ;)

Jun 13, 2008 08:56 AM
Marzena Melby
Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN
Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Gary, it's very important to live in the NOW.  Really... when you think about it, ALL WE HAVE IS NOW, at any given moment.

Jun 13, 2008 10:12 AM
Becky Respess
Broker/Associate Century 21 Judge Fite Co - Cedar Hill, TX
ABR, CRB, CRS

Oh Gary, I agree with you completely. I know you are aware of some the things going on in my life. I will quote a saying of a friend who is a 75 year old former Dallas County Commissioner. He says "Becky, at my age I don't buy green bananas." I'm not sure this came across the way I meant it but I will say life is short.

Jun 13, 2008 10:14 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Kevin: Time is finite. It can be leveraged but you can't make any more of it.

Kelly: I see you are busy ; )

Marzena: Now is all we have is an excellent point.

Jun 13, 2008 10:15 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Becky: Completely agree with the 75 yr old. NOTHING with time is ever guaranteed.

Jun 13, 2008 10:18 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Gary, the "cramming effect" takes on special meaning as you get older and you realize how life "accelerates" the older you get.

Jun 13, 2008 11:20 AM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

Gary - I like your idea to sprinkle the vacations in there! And, I have been doing just that as my market moves into the slower months of the year.

Jun 13, 2008 04:43 PM
Liz Moras Migic
Chilliwack, BC
Chilliwack, British Columbia - Realtor

Gary I'm in AWE of your posts - I can't imagine where you come up with all the ideas and the perfect photos.......your imagination is unbelievable or..........do you get direction from somewhere? Do you alot a certain amount of time each day to be so consistent? That glass slipper is causing blisters :-((....with the other foot I keep stubbing my toe........ I feel like I'm always chasing that carriage........tripping over pumpkins...

Jun 13, 2008 05:49 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Charles: That "accelerator effect" as life moves on has always been a mystery to me other than the fraction of one year over all your years total keeps getting smaller so each year seems to go by faster.

Carol: You are taking into account balance in your life which is very good. Your maturity amazes me from what you told me of your rebel girl days. Not that you are in your rocking chair yet or mellowing out, but you have amazing wisdom these days. Maybe it comes from all the street knowledge you have picked up in Really State.

Liz: You probably are not going to believe this... but what I write about just pops into my ahead. It is not from reading another article and copying it or anything. I do get thoughts from listening to music. I am also "highly" inspired from listening and observing people like YOU and others I come in contact in the world. I write when I find time, early morning, later evenings, breaks in work. I am very mobile with my computing power and do much on the fly. I also see the world backwards from everyone else and want to give that perspective. I know about running and not having the carriage turning into a pumpkin. I want to get as much in before the stroke of midnight. I just hope often enough that I am doing enough of the "right" things. It feels hit and miss on some days.

Jun 14, 2008 04:54 AM
Mike Norvell Sr
Morris Williams Realty - Leesburg, FL
Norvell Consulting Group

Gary, nice post...My days are very full, in fact I have never been so busy working with investor funds.SOem people call us vulture funds, but what ever, at least my clients have money to buy.

But, no matter what, my wife and I insist on a date night, and a weekly dinner with family. It keeps us close, and I have learned to schedule everything else around these times... I was given a second chance at a great life with my new wife, and we are now celebrating 22 years together, 5 years married...she just had a difficult surgery 3 weeks ago, and I can't express how I would have dealt with anything other than a successful result.  She now is doing better, and for some reason she thinks that people will notice the scar on her neck..trust me, I don't see a thing but total love for my wife who is going to be OK now.

Jun 14, 2008 05:17 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Mike: A tremendous story of yours on focus on the family and love for your wife. I am glad everything has worked out post-surgery for you. I think you truly understand that our days are numbered (for all of us) and how that makes time very precious. Blocking out "Your" time is essential. Thanks for your wonderful sharing.

Jun 14, 2008 05:25 AM
Jackie - computer-training-atlanta.com
770.498.7333 - Atlanta, GA
Learn to leverage technology to get more done.

Gary - thanks for the post. I needed this reminder.

Jun 16, 2008 03:49 PM
Lynn Johnson
Coldwell Banker Home Connection - Owatonna, MN
Owatonna, MN Real Estate

Gary - My husband's 51 year old uncle just passed away last week (on the day of his son's high school graduation) after a brief illness.  It sure brought home to his family the importance of living every moment to the fullest.  Your post is such a good reminder of how we should live and treat the people of importance in our lives.

Jun 16, 2008 04:10 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Jackie: You got it.

Lynn: Seems like I know so many from late 30's to their 50's with the early deaths. Serves as reminders for all of us.

Jun 16, 2008 04:30 PM