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Time: The Coin of Your Life

Peter Ashenden
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The American poet Carl Sandberg said that "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."   Time's an important concept in our lives. We don't have enough time, so we talk on ...

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 18, 2008

3 Responses to "Time: The Coin of Your Life"

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  1. Time is the coin
    Melissa
    Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at 01:45 AM
    What if you spend all of your days making everyday perfect only to see that it doesn't matter to your bipolar loved one. Then you find yourself alone and battling depression...when you were never depressed before? There is a point where you don't want to be called horrible names and thrown out of the house and wait forever for that once a day smile which turnes into the most vile things you have ever heard. It is the worst thing I have ever dealt with..however.you are right..time is precious. Where does that leave the people who love bipolar people?
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    re: Time is the coin
    David Hicks
    Monday, January 12, 2009 at 09:49 PM

    Mellisa as a person with Bi-Polar illness I first thought you were the one who was BP.  I have been struggling with living with my wife who is "normal" just ask her. Withiln the last year someone in my support group had thought my wife was someone who has Borderline Personality Disorder.  Now she can undo all the good feelings I have about myself.  Looking forward to joining a BPD group on line Good luck with your spouse and your marrige.  Keep trying . Dave


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    re: Time is the coin
    G williams
    Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 01:17 PM

    I apologize...

    To you and every other spouse that has endured "jekyl and hyde". My wife has endured the worst of me and we seperated for a time. It was 75/25 I was 75 percent of the problem she had some things to work on as well. I might suggest that you are not responsible for making everything perfect for your spouse. While that says volumes about the goodness of your character, it also places alot of weight on you that does NOT belong there. I am Bipolar I am responsible for working to maintain my health and my marriage, it is not the sole duty of my spouse! Before we seperated I would go through horrible stages NOTHING was ever good enough. I tell people that I was a jerk, yes my Disorder twisted my view and distorted things through extreme highs and lows, it did not give me the right to tear down my spouse or berate her if she did not meet the "Manic view of perfection" of if she could not make me happy "In the dark pit". Now I understand that while her love and support are helpful in my treatment...She is NOT in charge of keeping me happy or being perfect. This only came through counseling and

    accepting my part in my health. Is it all roses and sunshine now? Yes, sometimes you can get sunbern and roses have thorns. I work with my doctor and my wife and my meds to be the suppotive spouse my wife deserves and she does the same, but we don't wear cpes and leap tall buildings...We take the elevator together.


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  2. spending time
    josch11964
    Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 02:55 AM

    isnt that the truth, its about the journey, not the destination. all the little things do matter.


    reply
  3. Carl Sandburg was an excellent quote...
    Gwilliams
    Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 12:56 PM

    It struck a memory for me my first attempt at college ( I have made three) I made a presentation on Sandburgs the "Sand box". The assignment was to look for symbolism ...I suggested the sand was time the box was the limits of time and the shovel and buckect are the tools we are given to work in time. This is perhaps the most focused thought I have had in almost a year. My 15/50 visits are proving to be not very beneficial. I have leveled. A rare stae for BP in me but your post brought back a happy memory in whathas been a recently unhappy time. I had to resign a management position because I am unable to harness the energy (I also suffer from Crohns) mental or physical to work 12 hours a day. My company "Only requires 10 hours" but those that only work ten are considered not teamplayers. Again thank you the qoute brought back a happy time for me. I hope others examine the coin and spend it with the hand of a miser but the heart of a giver...People should be in control of their time, but be willing to give of it freely to those in need.


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