Time Is Gold

In front of the National Museum of Ethiopia stands a monument. Emperor Haile Selassie aka Ras Tafari or the Lion of Judah—is depicted lecturing the students lined up before him: “Time is gold.”

An ideal thought for a New Year’s toast. Carpe diem. Time is the sole currency we spend even when we think we still have plenty left. Life is strictly non-exchangeable and non-refundable.

Therefore, in the coming new year, one wants to wish everyone the simplest of things: to spend this gold on what is alive. On the people you love. On conversations that leave you wiser and calmer. On work that holds true meaning. On roads that expand your world.

And everything else—hatred, wars, despondency, procrastination disguised as planning, and toxic dramas—should be left behind in the past. No one has ever returned to confirm that there is anything waiting for us up there☝️. So this life is best lived as a premiere, not a dress rehearsal.

Happy New Year, friends! Time is gold. Don’t hoard it anxiously—spend it on what truly matters.