Luxurious Excess

I have quite a lot of free time, by design. I don’t make tons of money: enough to get along, but not much beyond that.

I do, however, have a lot of spare hours in my day, and that’s a result of both prioritization and work-related efficiencies I’ve figured out over the years.

While I’m not in the position to give gobs of money to charity, then, I do have an excess of time and energy because I’m seldom wrung-out from the work I perform to pay the bills. This excess, in addition to enabling experiments, hobbies, future-facing projects, and quality time with my friends and family also allows me to be generous with my time and energy.

I’m more capable of being the person I want to be when I know I have time and energy to spare. When I’m overworked, underslept, or stressed beyond basic functionality, I’m more precious with my time and capacity, each second feeling priceless, each unit of cognitive and physical exertion jealously guarded.

Which makes sense: it’s easier to share your food if you’re not starving.