Inspired by the awesome contest of SteemItWorldMap and posting my entry to begin 2020, I have decided to finish what I started last Spring / early Summer. What's that?

Write about my reflections on my "Road to Recovery" trip of a lifetime.

Reflections refined driving 31 days and 4,984 miles across parts of 8 states - Colorado, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming almost a year ago.

In my first R2R Reflections post, I wrote about "pursuit of happiness" and what many consider an essential part of that - the accumulation of wealth ...

In this post, I will write down the highlights of what I probably thought about more than anything else - time. While many of my reflections were focused on my own personal history, I also thought a lot about the time in human history into which I was born.

While there is a lot of rich diversity amongst us all here on our Steem blockchain, I invite you to go along with me, dear reader, as we "talk" about one essential aspect of our lives we all share in common - our time.

• "R2R" Note: My "shorthand" way of referring to my trip of a lifetime, with the story beginning here and ending here. "Road to Recovery" <=> "R2R" ... 😉
  
  

• The title of this post is taken from the well-known story of Esther. If you are unfamiliar with it, you may wish to read it!

Relentless March of Time ...

In our journey through life, there is something we all know, but tend to not think about much in our younger years. And what is that @roleerob?

Our time is finite, i.e. we are mortal. Whatever our "number of days" may be, we are not going to be getting any more of them. Our time will come to an end.

So ... What are we doing with the time we have?

The longer I live, the more important I believe are these two essential aspects of life:

1. The people in my life.
   
   
2. The time I spend with them.
   
   

Again, dear reader, with all of our rich diversity across the world and that which separates us, we share these two aspects of our lives in common.

Reflecting on all of the wonderful people with whom I had crossed paths in life was a source of great contentment and peace to me, while I was driving. Particularly in thinking about those in my family.

I remembered the number of times, in my travels over a long career, when the topic of conversation turned to the classic question - "If I could do it all over again, what would I do different?" I can assure you the answer never came out anything like this:

"If only I had spent more time
working at my job! Focused on
getting more of those ?...?
(impersonal) details worked out!"

No, dear reader, this dehumanizing aspect of our lives was never mentioned! Instead, it was remarkable how often the answer came out something like what I have written above. That the wish was they would have spent more time with their loved ones.

Over and above these thoughts of a simple life and focusing on the people in my life who are near and dear to me, I was at peace reflecting on a truth this is derived from my Christian faith.

I was born at this time for a reason! And that reason may be far beyond me, greater than me in a manner of speaking, since I am not the one who decided it. My creator did. And that is enough for me.

As I enter this new chapter in my life, I look forward with a greater sense of purpose than what I have experienced in a long time. Perhaps, greater than what I have ever experienced.

We never know, once opening a new door in our life, where it might lead. On this unforgettable trip, I settled on resolving to spend more time with the people in my life. Never knowing for certain, for what purpose I was in their life and they were in mine, but assured it was "for such a time as this!"

Closing

As we go through life, I think it is invaluable to our sense of well-being and peace to "stop and smell the roses." And, while doing that, to reflect very carefully, very deeply on what is of value. What is truly of value vs. what "the siren song of the world" is constantly and loudly declaring it to be.

I hope this post has provided you with a little bit of food for thought. For your own quiet reflections on what is truly important in our lives. I’d love to hear any feedback you may be inspired to provide.

Until "next time," all the best to you for a better tomorrow, as we all work together to build up our Steem Communities and increase the value of the Steem blockchain! 👍 😊

Respectfully,
Steemian @roleerob

Posted using SteemPeak and “immutably enshrined in the blockchain” on Wednesday, 15 January 2020!

Interested to read more of my related “reflection” series of posts?

Lead Image	Title, Link, & Summary
	Reflections: My "Road to Recovery" Trip Summary: An old saying is, "Plan your work and work your plan." Here are the thoughts leading up to my R2R trip of a lifetime. Including an outline of where I intended to go and why.
	Reflections: Officially retired ... Or am I? Summary: "Officially" retired, I reflected on another old saying - "Today is the first day of the rest of your life!" As a began to think about what the "next chapter" of my life might be. Including whether I was truly through working ...
	R2R Reflections: Immense Wealth! Yet, still the "pursuit of more" Summary: While on my road trip, I had a lot of "windshield" time to reflect back on my life and "the pursuit of happiness" as an American. Including all that I had learned over a long career, on the controversial topic of wealth.