One of the most eloquent speakers of the 20th century, Martin Luther King Jr., in his famous, I Have a Dream speech, alluded, in part, to the swift passage of time:

“We are faced with the fact, my friends,” he said, “that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity. The tide in the affairs of men does not remain at flood – it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, “too late.”

Many, from time to time, feel similar sentiments. They think there may be something else up ahead, but caught up in self doubt, twisted up in fear, they are hesitant, failing to take action even when they know that to do so would immeasurably improve or enhance their lives.

Then, thinking better of it, they put away for another day a new dream or a great idea that they just know they should pursue – one of those shoulds that serve only to diminish their lives. But time waits for no one. Are you making the best use of yours?

Ten years or twenty will be gone before you turn around. Procrastination is the thief of time. If there’s something nagging at the back of your mind, something you want to do so badly you can taste it, can you afford to wait?