DID YOU HAVE AN EXCHANGE DAY?

Did you have an exchange day today?

 

This is the kind of day, in which you basically give your life over to some other cause other than your own motivations.

 

For example – your work.

 

I realize that for many people, most of their days are “exchange days.”

 

I wonder sometimes. What is the right amount?

 

How many days do you have to give up, doing the things you would not do if you had a choice, in exchange so that you could have days that you would really like to do?

I have been lucky over the last year.

 

After my “retirement,” I have had far less “exchange days” – instead having days of selfishness, when I could do whatever I wanted to do.

 

But that was a fortunate opportunity. And I constantly remind myself that this was part of the very small minority in life.

 

Today, I had an exchange day. I started phone calls at 10:00 am. And I worked for the most part until 8:00 pm – after which I ordered a pizza, broke open a bottle of wine, and watched old re-runs of Battle Star Gallactica.

 

The best of the “exchange days” are days in which you would 1). Not choose to do those things if you did not have to work, but, 2). Were still things that were enjoyable.

 

That was true of my “exchange day.” Although I sat in a Starbucks for 7 hours working on a project, I enjoyed what I was doing. As long as I didn’t think about what I would do instead.

 

I am working on a project that is due next week. It is important. To me. And interesting.

 

If I could snap my fingers, and have it done would I. I think so. That is what makes it an exchange day. It is one day of your life that has gone away – and not because it was of your own passion and choosing.

 

But it was close. I did learn. And I enjoyed the setting.

 

Isn’t that about as good as you can get for an exchange day.

 

The worse would be if most of your days and life were an exchange day.

 

How about you?
Was your Friday a day of your choosing.

Or an exchange day – a day in which you exchanged one day of your life for something else that you either wanted to continue to do – or wanted to do?