March 24th, 2009 @ 2:03 am by: Marc
What is the Value of an Hour?
It was almost midnight on an idle Tuesday and the hospital hallways were unusually calm. I had just finished reading an old issue of Sports Illustrated from cover to cover. “Waiting sucks,” I thought to myself. “Why didn’t I bring a book?”
As I sat quietly with my eyes closed, I could vaguely hear the soft mumbles of a verbal plea going on in the hospital room beside me. “You’ve kept him waiting long enough! My grandson is here! Oh please, let him in.” More mumbling… “Please, please… nurse, bring him to me.”
A moment later the nurse stormed out of the room and looked startled to see me waiting in the hall. “Oh, you’re here!” he yelped. “I’m sorry. I’m a hospice nurse and I’ve only been watching over your grandmother for the last 24 hours. She insisted that you were coming to visit her last night too, so she had me scouring the hospital halls looking for you to no avail. When she told me you were coming again this evening, I assumed her dementia was getting the best of her.”
“Well, I…”
He interrupted me. “But I’m really glad you’re here. I think she’s been holding on just so she could say goodbye to you. It’s actually miraculous that she’s still able to speak, because her body is rapidly shutting down on her. The doctor gave her 24 hours to live about 24 hours ago.”
“Jeez, that’s…”
He interrupted again. “Sir, once more, I’m truly sorry. I had no idea you were out here waiting. Please follow me.”
I stood up and the nurse guided me into the room. “You’re grandson is here,” he announced from the doorway. The old woman’s eye’s lit up. “Oh grace… Oh joy!” She looked right at me and smiled with all the might she had left in her weak body. “I knew you’d come.”
I sat down at her bedside and placed my hand over hers, interlocking our fingers and squeezing ever so slightly in an attempt to show affection. She squeezed back and tried to speak again, but she was too exhausted. Instead, she stared directly into my eyes and held her smile for several minutes as we continued to hold hands. Finally, she closed her eyes and rested.
For nearly an hour I didn’t move. I sat there in silence as she maintained a soft grip on my hand. Then slowly, her grip loosened and her breathing slowed. For a moment I thought she was falling into a deeper sleep, but then her breathing stopped altogether.
I let go of her lifeless hand and used the emergency call button to summon the nurse. The nurse hustled in, covered the body with a white sheet, recorded a few notes on his clipboard, and then began to offer his condolences…
“I’m really sorry for your loss,” he said. “Have you made any funeral arrangements?”
“I don’t even know her name,” I replied.
“What do you mean?” he asked. “She’s your grandmother.”
“No, she’s not,” I assured him. “Prior to stepping foot in this room, I had never met her before in my life. I’m here at the hospital waiting for my roommate who needs a few stitches on his chin.”
He looked confused. “I don’t understand. If you don’t know her, then why didn’t you say so? And why did you sit beside her for the last hour?”
I smiled. “Well, I knew immediately that she wasn’t my grandmother. But when you informed me of her life expectancy, I also knew that her real grandson wasn’t going to make it in time. So curiosity got the best of me and I followed you into the room. Then when she saw me and smiled, I realized her vision was so bad that she actually thought I was her grandson. And knowing how desperate she was to see him, I decided to play the part and spend the hour with her.”
We Determine the Value of Every Hour
Our lives are measured by the value we provide to others. This value arises from the things we spend our time doing. And since time is quantified in hours, the value of our lives is equivalent to the sum of every hour we spend.
Opportunities to provide value are everywhere. Some of them are anticipated, while others blindside us at midnight on an idle Tuesday. Whether or not we choose acknowledge these opportunities is up to us.
How have you spent the last hour of your life?
Photo by: Jah
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36 Comments
March 24th, 2009 at 7:36 am
Very thought provoking story and awesome message at the end! Thanks for sharing. Definitely something to chew on throughout the day. Eric
March 24th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Beautiful story… Nothing else to say, thanks though.
March 24th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Thank you for this post. What a wonderful reminder of how precious life is and how great it is to give your time to another.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:18 am
This is a wonderful posting. Thank you! =0) Peace…
March 24th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Beautiful, touching story. I was going to ask if the young man was you but I’ve read stories like this before and so assume it’s about somebody else.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:28 am
That’s sweet. Is it a true story? Either way you guys are talented story tellers.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Marc, I am always impressed by the skills you display in spreading your thoughts around the internet. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you.
March 24th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I so truly hope this really happened. That there could actually be people in the world like this …..
March 24th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Thanks for the kind words all.
@Lori: This person could be you. It’s up to you.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I like it when things can be both incredibly sad and yet happy at the same time.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
That was beautiful.
March 24th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately since I’ve started doing some consulting. Of course the way I was thinking of my hour was in terms of money. But it’s good to look at it in a different light too!
March 24th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Incredibly inspiring. This made me stop and think. I had to think a lot about myself - which is a very good thing. This was a beautiful story and when people act like this they are acting the way human beings should act. This should be an everyday occurrence for those of us that inhabit this world. Thanks for the story.
March 24th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Nice. Really, really nice.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
@Nathalie and Stephen: Thanks for the inspiring feedback. I’m glad to hear my articles make you think. Getting my readers to think, after all, is my primary goal for writing.
March 24th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
This definitely hits home with me. I spent the last hour in rehearsal for my next dance show in april. I always wonder these things when I’m waiting as well. How do you bring meaning to few seconds when you are stuck somewhere not doing anything. You just remain present and enjoy the scenery! That’s what I’ve realized. Otherwise you are just wasting your own time being bored.
thanks for the great read!
March 25th, 2009 at 2:48 am
I love the story that you told!! It’s so beautiful!! Yes, we have it in all of us to show compassion to others in their hour of need.
March 25th, 2009 at 9:09 am
What a lovely story.
The difference we can make in the lives of others is greater than the amount of time it takes us to do it.
Thanks for the post. It’s a good way to start my day.
March 25th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Your writing keeps getting better and better. Great job.
March 25th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
What a way to spend an hour! Beautiful!
March 25th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
What a wonderful story, Marc!
The hour you spent was a gift of kindness. It’s so easy to say respond with, “Oh, this is nothing to do with me.”
But, really, everything has something to do with us!
March 25th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
I’m sorry to be the debbie downer, but does anyone else see an ethical issue here? What of the ‘real’ grandson…what will he feel once he arrives at the hospital and the hospice nurse explains to him that some random person tricked his grandmother? What value did the ‘Good Samaritan’ add to the grandmother’s grandson’s life?
March 25th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
“And since time is quantified in hours, the value of our lives is equivalent to the sum of every hour we spend.”
Good way of putting it. You’re right. One hour now is just as important as any hour later. Or the sum of many hours later.
Good reminder.
March 25th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
It is a truly beautiful example for us to try to emulate.
March 26th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
To K: I think most people realize the possible ethical issue about this situation, but I’d personally like to think that the grandson would be happy to know that his grandmother died happy, believing that he was there. That thought would probably make him happier than the thought of his grandmother dying alone and sad because he didn’t make it in time…
Beautiful story. Reading it made me really happy!
March 26th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Imagine what would have happened had you not been patient enough to give up that one hour. Things like this always make me re-evaluate the importance of having time in perspective.
March 26th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
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March 27th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
While at work, my hour is used to hustle and get to connect with people on the streets. At home, I only have like 2 hours to do anything else, and being online.
March 29th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
[…] What Is The Value of an Hour? from Marc at Marc and Angel Hack Life. […]
March 30th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Man…. That was an amazing story. I sincerely feel that if I was the person in the story, I have fulfilled the purpose of my life.
Thanks,
One request, don’t tell me that this is only a story, not a real incident.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:03 am
[…] What Is The Value of An Hour? […]
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Amazing testimony! I found your site through Teeni at Vtroom.
I have spent the last several hours of my life registering and getting ready to make a difference for those suffering with blood cancers, Leukemia & Lymphoma in particular.
I encourage all those able to help!
April 6th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
We are all called to be keepers of light. Some of us will have more opportunity to shine, but we must remember that it is our choice. We can either shine forth or put the light under a basket. God bless you for your inspirational teachings.
April 6th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Interesting question? I tried to think of a good answer right away, but I couldn’t. Thanks for something interesting to ponder.
May 2nd, 2009 at 4:49 am
Thank you for the wonderful story! Didn’t have a valuable last hour though!
August 27th, 2009 at 11:07 am
I love all your articles. Perks me up in my gloomiest days. Puts a cheer to my face! thanks…. from the bottom of my heart!
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