The competing demands

Everyone has 24 hours a day only.

I may have had thoughts of asking for more time, but time is a commodity that is so fair to everyone on Planet Earth.

For the past weeks, I felt I was running out of time. There are quite a number of things I would like to do, and there has been a nagging feeling that my time may soon end one day. Life may end before I could do what I wish to do. I may have to start to learn to live every day as if it were my last. Maybe that feeling could have came about when a few of fingers started hurting for no clear reason.

Somehow, I felt I have to learn to buy time or at least catch up with it.

There are so many things I would have to do during this period of time:
1) Work, and serve people.
(It can be fulfilling.)

2) Practise, practise and practise on the double bass.
(I love the way it sounds.)

3) Study music theory and do music theory homework.
(While I admittedly don't love music theory as much as I love the double bass, I believe that a good foundation in music theory will help me play better and more musically on the double bass.)

4) Read.
(I have a couple of books I wish to read: Paul Brun's A New History of the Double Bass, a book on social Entrepreneurship. I would also like to finish reading Emily's gift to me i.e. Aaron Copland's What to Listen for in Music.)

5) Read, research, and write the programme notes for my DipABRSM exams.
(My DipABRSM exams is just about four to five months away!)

6) Write.
(I already have ideas and basic outlines for several heritage-related blog-posts and a few others. I would just need the time to write.)

7) Spend some time with treasured friends and family members.
(Those who know me well would know that I value my personal space very much. I need to have enough time alone. Then again, lost time with family members and treasured friends would be lost forever. I shall learn to strike a healthy balance.)

8) The basic necessities of living: Eat, drink, sleep and etc.
(I find myself sleeping less than I had used to six years ago.)

I am thankful to my dear mother, father and brothers for their understanding, and from sparing me from the mundane so that I have time to do many of the items listed above.

Having said the above, I am starting to feel that I need more simplicity in my life. More clarity in my priorities in life may be helpful. However, either I am not honest enough with myself or I still lack the maturity as a young lad, I am still unclear what would truly mean to me in life.

If there is a North-star that guides, I ask that it guide me to gain the wisdom to learn to lead a balanced life, despite all the competing demands.