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525,600 Minutes!
Monday, 14 April 2008 | posted by Rhadeena
General
Have you ever heard the soundtrack of the movie ‘Rent'? Unlike most soundtracks I found it extremely thought provoking. Did you know that there are 525,600 minutes in a year? It sounds like a lot but in reality, considering how much we do, it isn't much at all.
How do we measure a year in our lives? Do we measure it in "daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee"? Or do we measure it in "miles of laughter or strife"? Most of us are so caught up in the journey of life and where it's going to take us, not to mention that continuous rat-race to reach the top, so that we forget or choose to ignore what really matters.
I can't speak for everyone, but when I reflect on a year gone by I usually measure it by my success or failure. I think about how much closer I've got to reaching my goals and making my dreams a reality and what I can do differently or do better. Don't misunderstand, there is nothing wrong with that kind of evaluation at all, but at the same time what would happen if we measured a year in our life with ‘Love'? What if we also measured a year by how much we loved and how much of that love we showed to the rest of humanity? I know that majority of those who will read this are activists and work for change, but I know that even though I'm an activist, more often than not I don't go that extra mile to show the love I feel. Either I'm too busy trying to make things happen or sometimes (as most often is the case) I'm too busy to realize how much a person needs even a little bit of love.
While on the subject of love, I thought I should ponder a bit on what love could be. To this day no one has been able to define exactly what love is all about. I was reading an article written by the Rev. Dr. Selwyn Hughes where he said "‘Love' it has been said, ‘is a colour that can be worn with anything - overalls or evening dress.' Or think of it as a kind of overcoat, if you like, a garment that covers all other virtues. It brings harmony to all disharmonies."
With such a powerful tool at our disposal, most of us don't use it to its full capabilities. How much can you do in a minute? It takes less than a minute to smile at someone and assure them that there are people who care in the world. It takes less than a minute to bend down and a hug a child who is starved for affection. It takes less than a minute to reach out and squeeze the hand of a friend going through a dark moment and assure them that you will be there for them should they need it.
We have 525,600 God given minutes in a year to take advantage. At this moment there are approximately 6,470,818,671 people in the world. If we can't touch them all, we can touch at least one, and it will be most effective if we do it with love.
"It's not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters." - Mother Teresa
Love in its simplest form can be found in the smile of a child.
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14 April 2008
aaawww rhadeena u seriously MADE MY DAY..
i’m litterally havin one of the worst dayz of my life and through out this whole week i’ve forgotton to wat everythn actually goez down to .. LOVING:
WAT U DO
WHO U R,
The people affecting ur life and making you happy.
Love is an essential in our lives! We CanT live a day without it , yet i hav forgotten how important it is .. and i thank you for reminding me.. you are soo faar away and yet i still feel like were together in england helping eachother.
i LOve you soo much rhandeena thanxx and keep spreading the LOVE. mpwa7*
15 April 2008
Rhadeena!!! you really touched my heart and soul with your words :D love ya dear….
and Lina did u forget that your never alone? and that u have 59 family member there with u? xxx love ya and plz never feel down again, coz ppl like you rare in this world .
Seraj
17 April 2008
RENT is a great thought provoking musical!!!
ANd that song rocks,
Loved your post Rhadee, it is true that we don’t often stop and think our purpose in life!!!
17 April 2008
Lina don’t you ever forget that we’re all there for you! You can fall back on us whenever you want. Seraj has te right ida so don’t you forget it.
I have to agree with you Juan that Rent is awesome. Anyone who hasn’t watched it. it’s a must see musical. It’s truly inspiring.
25 April 2008
Sweet thought provoking write-up Rhadeena, thanks for taking the time to share it with us. having a purpose, a focus makes life worth living and it kinda relates to part of what i do, helping people find the purpose of life. LINA, take heart, life’s like that and like the others have said you are not alone. hi Seraj and Juan, wish you all the best
26 April 2008
Thanks god Mfon
i was wondering if your ok :D
thanks god were hearing from you once again, how is it all going whats new?
xxx lots of love all the way from Libya keep us updated
2 May 2008
Dear Rhadeena,
Just a short (yeah I know that sounds unlikely) response to your post, but also a response to what has moved me when I trawled through the site, which I haven’t visited for too long, it seems. I read your impassioned words, I think about what you say and it sounds absolutley on the button and yet it seems, for an older human being (OK for a grumpy old codger like me) so simple, too simple to be prepared to run with it. Now that’s what bugs me: it’s not what you say—don’t ever let anyone tell you it isn’t true—but because with the onset of middle-age I seem to have lost that ability that you and your fellow activists have, to take a point, to adopt it, hook line and sinker, and not be fazed by its straight-forwardness. I almost instinctively tell myself “it can’t be as simple as this” and I have to learn again from you all that, yes, it can be and it is. And while you’re at it you perhaps you guys better show me again that relentlessly questioning simple truths is a surefire way of avoiding having to act on them.
Way to go Rhadeena, way to go guys!
Franz
5 June 2008
Well Franz that certainly wasn’t short
but it was certainly food for thought. Some may say I have a idealistic view of the world and should step into reality, and under different circumstances I would probably agree with them. However I have seen over and over again that a little bit of love goes a long way. In 10 years time or even in as little as 2 years, people are not going to remember who won the nobel prize or who won the oscars. Things like that take a backseat in no time at all but you alway remember people who made a difference in your life. For instance my first grade teacher, who taught me that to draw a beautiful picture you have to be willing to get chalk on your hands or my uncle who ran behind my bicycle to make sure I wouldn’t fall, when I was still learning to balance on it. If you want to make a difference you don’t usually have far to go. It boils down to the simple things. The week in Guilford will aways motivate me and elp me remember that if my global family can do it around the world then so can I. It’s like we said at the forum, we can never forget what motivates us as youth. The fundamentals are really simple. It’s us who complicate things. (Franz I do believe I borrowed your definition of a ‘short’ comment here 
)