1,280 Hours

My high school years were not my favorite. I went to an all-girls Catholic high school on the south side of Chicago in the 80’s. I was never homeschooled. I needed to commute using public transportation, which meant that I took the city bus system to get to and from school. My family lived quite a ways away so I needed to commute a full hour to get to school and the same to get home.

High school is a challenging time. There are many tough subjects to study, social/sport activities to attend, peer pressure, holding down a part-time job, etc. For me, commuting two hours a day made it all the more exhausting. I had to wake up super early and walk to the bus in rain, snow, or scorching temperatures. I also connected to a second bus, hoping that it wasn’t late which would make me late for school, which was terrifying. I hated the commute. By the time I got home I was so tired I had no energy or motivation to do homework.

Looking back, and I do it somewhat often, I wish I could have gotten that time back. I spent roughly 1,280 hours commuting for four years of high school. During those hours I didn’t do anything meaningful. I didn’t study (I couldn’t, the buses were always noisy), I didn’t pray for anyone, I couldn’t take a nap, I couldn’t help my Mom and Dad around the house, I didn’t do anything fun. I feel like I wasted all of that time.

They say that hard times, such as my commute, build character. Well I’ll tell you, when I see neighbor kids around us today getting dropped off right in front of their houses, it brings back some bad memories. But in the next breath I think about how grateful I am that I don’t have to do that anymore. I guess I’ve built up some character because I've come to realize the value of time. I remind our children often that they have it pretty good being home to do their school.

Please take 1,280 hours and put them to good use. Don’t let them be wasted like I did. Homeschooling your children allows them to be home, providing a lot of spare time. They can do something with that time: help a neighbor, spend time with a sibling, pray for those that need it, have a good conversation with their parents, or sit and enjoy the silence.

It really is true: time is a gift. Don’t waste it.