'Free' time

Wanting to be with your friends doesn't need to cost anything

Good morning!

I’m already at Melbourne Airport about to make a quick trip to Sydney.

I had a car full of petrol already so have used a bit to get here, but didn’t have to fill up.

I parked at the value parking place - $24 for 1 day. I’m having a coffee and breakfast in the Qantas lounge so that’s included in my ticket.

Oh and I used points to fly to Sydney today and back to Melbourne tomorrow.

Why am I detailing my expenses to you?

Because thanks to the generosity of two mates, I’m doing something that is hardly costing me anything.

Save your envy for another time but I’m off to Oasis tonight (Squeal!).

Truth is I couldn’t afford to go.

Business has slowed up and we’ve recently moved house (twice) so we’re really watching our pennies.

In any other world I’d have to say no to going.

But thanks to an incredible act of generosity from 2 mates who were buying tickets themselves and just bought me one thinking I might like to go with them - I’m able to rock out (do people even say that anymore?) with Noel and Liam and 70,000 others.

It got me thinking about how generosity can take many different forms.

Sometimes a bunch of flowers arrives unexpectedly on your doorstep. Another time a bottle of champers (thanks, but I don’t drink it) for a job well done.

I think my favourite sort of generosity is this one. Someone shouting you a good time. Gallagher brothers or not, it’s the request to spend time with you. The event is incidental to the real reason to hang out. To connect. To catch-up. To be present with each other.

The concept of ‘free’ time I think is how you choose to spend it. Not in a monetary way but in a thoughtful way.

It’s free to give but expensive to waste.

Time is the currency we can give to each other.

See you Monday morning,

Wade