Why the best Christmas present is (still) time

by the Passodue team

At Passodue, we usually organise a dinner or lunch to celebrate and to plan our next year’s meetup. Each of us brings a different dish, a small gift to share, and, if possible, a little something we can reflect on together. This year, we decided to set another place at the table. In fact, we decided to add a seat for every person who reads our blog. As we couldn’t share our meal with you, we decided to at least share the reflections that came up when we met.

We agreed that this year’s topic to reflect on should be time. It’s probably not the most original topic, but even though a lot of words are spent to prove how valuable it is, it seems like it’s a very scarce commodity in our lives. That’s not because it’s never an available resource, but, on the contrary, it’s because we tend to neglect it, to misuse it, or to turn it into an alibi or an excuse. And yet, how many of us live a life of regrets, remorse, anxiety, or stress, dreaming of being able to go backwards or forwards in time? We, therefore, went around the table and asked each member of Passodue to tell us an anecdote or a little story that would describe their relationship with time and that would have a moral. A little gift to our readers, in which we dedicate our time and thoughts to you. 

It’s time to find my own space by Serena Calderoni

Finding my own space has always been a personal challenge. What I mean is that I struggle to shape and to own the space around me, as opposed to simply adapting to the place I call home. I have a strong sense of determination, which always encourages me to go the extra mile and to not be content with situations or places that for some reason, at a certain point, feel like a restriction. It also allows me to prevent others from invading my space and to experience every moment as a good opportunity for change. Changing one’s home is changing one’s life. 

Photo by Ioana Cristiana on Unsplash

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Time is simply a construct, and time is what can be shaped around me if I consistently make time for the things that are important to me.

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I can always find time to stop for a moment, breathe, understand whether what is around me is positively affecting my emotions or whether it is the right space for me. In the last few years, I’ve lived many lives, moved from and to many houses, experimented, and tried to find out what “home” meant to me. I will have to move again in a few days, right in the middle of the busy end of the year, the end of the courses and when it’s time to take stock. My life is changing again, and it’s time to feel at home, to feel that my home is within me, made of time dedicated to myself and to my loved ones. My new timeless and spaceless home is here, now, ready for me.

The time to play by Luca Stoppioni

As a child, I used to spend a lot of time drawing, and my desk was always covered in eraser crumbs. A few years ago, after a pretty long break, I decided to start drawing again, and I dedicated a little corner of my studio to it. Every time I sit at the desk and start drawing, something fascinating happens: I completely lose track of time. It’s very difficult to describe, but it’s as if the hands on my watch stopped existing, as if I were catapulted into another dimension. I start drawing, often just after dinner, and then poof, in the blink of an eye, it’s midnight! 

Overall, I don’t have a good relationship with time on a daily basis. I tend to get to appointments far too early, bite off more than I can chew, or leave things to the last minute. Working on improving time-management is very demanding, so discovering that there is a little corner where time doesn’t exist was a pleasant surprise that I am finding very helpful. It’s a sort of compensating space, where I can recharge my batteries to deal with daily challenges more effectively or, if you like, a place of shelter to find myself in when I’m anxious or stressed out.

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Living in a “timeless” dimension helps me manage time better. Why don’t you also give it a try?

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Photo Kelly Sikkema on UnSplash

Children and their gift of quality time by Luca Giorgetti

Isn’t it great to start a family and have two kids who joyfully run around the house? That’s how advertisements depict the life of a typical family. However, these idyllic scenes don’t come out of nowhere.

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For me, time started to take on a new meaning when I discovered that it’s up to me to include quality in its flow. What I used to do, instead, was to always try to find free time for what I wanted to do, and therefore, I was more focused on quantity.

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“Once my wife and kids are ok, I’ll have time for myself”, I used to say. But that’s not how it works, or actually, it can work, but in a different way. Now, I intentionally reserve time for myself because if I don’t, there will always be something cropping up. I’m not a workaholic, but I’ve found that the best way is to free up some slots in my schedule, highlighting them in emerald green, where I write down “Free”. When it’s time to agree on a meeting with a client or to choose a date for a class, if flipping through my organiser I see one of the “Free” slots, I treat it like a papal convocation. They are sacred moments that I am not willing to give up. They are moments where I can get back in touch with myself, even if it means not doing anything and getting bored. Why? Because burn out is always around the corner. Selfish? Absolutely! Healthily selfish.

My time machine by Alberto Aleo

This year I turned 50, an important age that meant I could allow myself to buy the car I used to dream about as a teenager. The Alfa Romeo Duetto isn’t just a vehicle for me. It’s an actual time machine that through its mere smell takes me back to when, as a young boy, my uncles – Alfa Romeo pilots – used to take me to the racing track. Of course, those were racing cars, but the family feeling is the same. When I purchased the car, my uncles gave me a wooden steering wheel that belonged to my grandfather, who was really fond of Alfa Romeo and had always owned one. When I drive the Duetto, I feel as if I’m going through a space-time portal where present and past meet, generations overlap, and every feeling – from the driving-induced adrenaline to nostalgic memories – merge.

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Objects, albeit inanimate – can become time capsules that can rekindle emotions, preventing them from ebbing away. It is our duty to fill these capsules with meaningful memories and to release them so as to remind ourselves what is valuable to us.

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We should consider this aspect for each thing that we create, by making sure that our products and services include the features that can turn them into time vessels. Not only will we ensure their success, but more importantly, they will acquire meaning. 

Dedicated time that becomes care by Alice Alessandri

Caregiving is a form of love that is often underestimated because it’s actually more about little heartfelt acts rather than theatrical gestures that are often very shallow. 2022 allowed me to understand and practice the importance of living the moment in a heartfelt way. Last January, we welcomed Ark, aka the consulting dog that you see on our posts, into our home, and he helped me open my heart in ways I didn’t think were possible as I hadn’t ever had a pet before. Reserving time to take him out on a walk or to play together, acknowledging his pure joy when playing fetch and finding myself laughing heartily allowed me to rediscover how intense events can be when they are experienced fully and mindfully.

In June, the earthly life of my super-mom, AnnaPaola, came to an end. Accompanying her on this journey was a great challenge and privilege which I tried to cherish by being as close to her as I could. The pain of my mother’s passing opened up a passage in my soul. On the other side of that passage, her teachings taught me how calm, dignity and faith are vital in our lives.

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My personal remedies against the unrelenting flow of time are “being together” and dedicating my time to the people around me so that I can confidently say, “If I could go back in time, I would do it all over again”.

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And now, it’s time to say goodbye. We will see you next year, with a new season of articles, training, and consulting that we are certain will give us more quality time together. Happy holidays to you all.

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