The Time is Now and Other Lessons from "The Golden Girls"

Updated: May 4, 2023

I don’t know if you realize every day, you are one day closer to end of this thing we call life. Steve Jobs famously said, “Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” And don’t put off living your own life either. Stop telling yourself “It takes too long” or “there isn’t enough time”. There is no time limit on dreams and purpose has no expiration date. But if you settle for just being mediocre you will never get to a certain age, look back over your life, and see all that you did not do because you accepted less than what was available to you. The 18th century German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe put it this way: “Hell begins the day God grants you the vision to see all that you could have done, should have done, and would have done, but did not do.” If you can believe the sky is the limit then let go of “time” and do what you are called to do.

I am reminded of an episode of the “Golden Girls” in which Rose has a near death experience and is inspired to change her life. All the girls share what they too are inspired to do, and Sophia says “I’m gonna find out what I’m good at, take an aptitude test, maybe go to law school.” Dorothy quickly responds, “Oh Ma, come on, you’ll be 96 when you get out” to which Sophia replies “I’ll be 96 anyway!” So now I ask you, what will you do with the rest of your “anyway”? If you’re lucky, it will be a pretty sweet gig!