Three Minute Stories, Paz Leiva, Spain •
The other day I heard that some young people speed up the replay of their WhatsApp audio messages so as not to “waste time” in listening to them at the normal speed. —
I think there is a difference between wasting time and taking time. Just as wasting money and spending money are not the same thing.
It is not obvious…
Last weekend a group of adults, six couples belonging to one of Spain’s Family Federation courses, held their annual meeting. It is not obvious that a group of adults wasted time in sharing their concerns. Many people would say that this is a waste of time.
In Schoenstatt, we are very fortunate to have these kinds of meetings frequently. What is not obvious is that patience and generosity of spirit in that moment is always present to “put up” with opinions that are very different from one’s own. To admit that someone else has a better idea, that there is a need to calm down and waste time, to listen without thinking about a brilliant response.
Nor is it obvious that there are no problems when it comes time to pay, that there are no arguments when it comes to dividing the food that was left over and to search for what is most beneficial for a brother or a sister.
Therefore, this weekend succeeded in everything that was not obvious in the world we are living in.
This group of people did not “waste” a single minute of their time. They “took time” on what was important: strengthening relationships and agreeing on the program to follow in the next course. Without increasing the speed of the conversations, but listening to each person’s rhythm.
Original: Spanish. Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, Cape Town, South Africa
