A few months ago I had the opportunity to read Momo again, where the author, Michael Ende, presents us with the story of this girl who possesses an extraordinary ability: knowing how to listen.

While reading it, I was amazed by the great resemblance the story has to our current world. The gray men arrive in the city and gradually invade it in a silent and penetrating way. With deception and tricks they steal people’s time. Making them believe they can save hours and minutes, and deposit them in a bank, people start working more and more, abandoning the good and simple things in life: visiting loved ones, talking with friends, reading a good book… Thus, the city’s inhabitants become increasingly lonely, more selfish people, dreaming of a time investment they’ll be able to enjoy at the end of their days.

This is how today’s controversial topic begins on es.catholic.net. I sometimes feel very identified with the people deceived by the “gray men.” Without a doubt, we must learn to distinguish, from everything we do, the things that are really important in our lives, and stop saying “I don’t have time” so much, in order to take ownership of the time that is ours.

I leave you the link to the complete article.

Some words to remember:

• Many times we complain that we don’t have time, and if we had it, how many great things we would do… but they are just dreams.
• Is it really worth the sacrifice of missing the best years of your children’s lives, when they are small and need your closeness to grow, to have a model to identify with, to consolidate their self-confidence?
• Knowing how to listen is an art… Listening is above all an attitude. It is the desire to understand the other, to tune in with them, to make our whole person available in their favor.
• Old age is very bitter when you have no memories, but memories can only be accumulated through experiences.
• If your time is really yours and not your work’s, fashion’s, or others’ expectations, then you will have it in abundance to accomplish those things that are really important.

And the final phrase to close the post: Stop now in your life and ask yourself, my time, is it mine? Decide to learn to listen and you will have made the investment of your life.