The Running of Time!

When my manager, Aveline, invited me to attend a chapter meeting at the Dennis Wee Group Toastmasters Club, I was puzzled as to why the members kept timing one another. "Why are they so obsessed with time?", I wondered to myself.

Now after being a toastmaster for 30 months I am becoming obsessed with time myself.!

When I was first made a timer during a meeting, I learnt to use a stop watch for the first time.

It was then that the impact hit me hard. Time runs and is running all the time! When I saw the seconds running so fast, my heart also started to beat very fast. We all know that time waits for no man. But we may sometimes not realise how fast one minute is. Recently at the International Speech and Table Topics contest at Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Club, I needed to go to the washroom quite urgently. I had been reluctant to leave the conference room earlier because I wanted to hear the excellent speakers. Time and tide, and I mean, really high tide, wait for no man!

I rushed to the washroom during the one minute break for the judges to mark their ballots.
I was hoping to go back to the conference before the next speaker's turn. Alas! despite all my rushing , the door had closed on me just by one second!!!

After this incident, I become even more vigilant and organised with my time. This is why, whenever volunteers were needed, I would volunteer to be a timer, and my heart would be beating very fast as the seconds ticked by.

Now I know I can take 10 minutes to 30 minutes to write an article everyday.
Now I know I can whip up a palatable dinner for six in 45 minutes!
Now I know I can walk briskly home from Dhoby Ghaut MRT to my home in Little India in 15 minutes time. However, if I dream and look around absently-mindedly, it might take me 40 to 50 minutes instead.
Now I know I can shop for groceries in 20 to 30 minutes if I list down the things I want to buy, instead of wandering around the supermarket thinking of what I want to buy.!
Now I know that if I use my time well, I would still have time for reading magazines and books, watch my favourite TV programs, have time for entertaining friends for a nice home-cooked meal, play the piano and violin, blogging and writing to friends and relatives, travelling, volunteering, etc. etc.

Pastor Derek had once said in his sermon, "Give a busy man a task, and somehow he will definitely complete it!"

Papa had always reminded his children, "No amount of money or power can buy us a second of time!"

Thanks Toastmasters International for helping me to be very time-conscious and to be a better organiser of my own time management!

Gan Chau