What did you do with today? Did you make it count? Was it exciting and full of daring feats, or was it quietly comfortable? Did you let it slip away into eternity without extracting anything from it? These are simple questions that are rarely asked but should be, and on a regular basis.

Here is one of my favorite poems on the subject of time. It is entitled "Life’s clock."

The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power...To tell just when the hands will stop—at late or early hour. To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed—to lose one’s health is more. To lose one’s soul is such a loss that no man can restore. The present only is our own… Live, love, toil with will. Place no faith in "tomorrow" for the clock may then be still.

As a plaque on my wall, this poem is a constant reminder that my time on this earth is finite.

When we are young, it seems like time will never pass. I remember I felt like I was living in slow motion. Would I ever reach 16 and get a driver’s license? Would I ever live through the four long years of my Air Force enlistment? Could I possibly hold on long enough to get through the ten years of night school at the University of Dayton? I survived the wait in each case, and the days did pass into history. In retrospect, they seem to have gone very quickly, but I wonder whether I got the most out of each of those days or if I squandered some of them. I think now that I would like to have them back. We all know, however, that once a day is spent, there is no way to retrieve it.

Now that I am older, I know that I must be more careful with the days ahead; and I also know it’s fruitless to ponder on how many more I have left. In fact, I really don’t want to know the answer. I’d like to think that I have many more days, but I am sure that a lot of people believe that, especially the young who, when in their prime, meet a violent end in a grinding crash. The clock can stop suddenly at any age, and there is no second chance to make the days count. If you are reading this, you do have a second chance.

Making a day count does not mean that you must fill it with frantic activity. You do not have to discover antidotes to all man’s illnesses or develop a method to feed the world’s starving masses. Making the day count may be as simple as reading a good book or visiting with a friend. It may be taking a walk in the woods, rafting down a river, or my personal favorite ballroom dancing with our friends. It may be a day in which you learn something, or in which you contribute your talents to enlighten another or brighten their day. Maybe it is a day that furthers your career or one in which you advance your abilities in a favorite hobby. It might even be a day dedicated to complete rest, to let your mind and body heal from the ravages of modern life.

A day that counts is one you can reflect upon with a sense of satisfaction, and if you are really lucky, the memory of it will cause you to smile. George Herbert was right when he said, "Life is half spent before we know it." It is the enlightened few who make the days they spend show a good return on investment. The next time you are tempted to say you are just killing time, remember there is no guarantee of tomorrow. Make today count!