Build a House Out of Pebbles

Which Is More Valuable and Important—Your Wasted Time or Gold Dust?

Photo by ROCCO STOPPOLONI on Unsplash

Fairy tales might become reality, and impossible dreams might come true! Why not? Let’s try reading this article and find out: Is it possible to build a house out of pebbles?

Here’s a story for you… When a leader struggled to conquer a fortified and impregnable city, he saw an ant persistently carrying a grain. This sparked in him the determination to achieve his goal! The spark of that great conquest was a tiny ant and a moment of reflection. So, why don’t we ponder a little to achieve miracles?

I was amazed by a story in a book, and its wisdom still resonates. It’s about a goldsmith who noticed that gold dust was falling to the ground, and then the cleaner would sweep it up and throw it in the trash. At that moment, the goldsmith screamed within himself as a fresh idea sparked in his mind. He immediately acted, brought a special brush, and began sweeping up the dust at the end of each day, turning the scattered dust into his fortune.

The real question we want to ask is: Which is more valuable and important — your wasted time or gold dust? We often complain about the lack of time, yet we squander the minutes of our lives left and right. Someone once finished reading several books during the annoying wait at traffic lights. How much time have we wasted in waiting rooms?

I liked the idea of placing books in barbershops and waiting rooms, but unfortunately, hands don’t reach for these books. Instead, everyone has a precious treasure—their mobile device. Have we managed our wasted time well? We say: Build a house out of pebbles, and if you collect your wasted time like gold dust, the minutes of waiting will turn into hours.

I admired the mindset of the scrap collector, who gathers what people don’t want to turn rubble into wealth. We all see that advanced societies read on trains and planes, during their travels and while waiting. Meanwhile, my fellow countrymen yawn with sleepy, teary eyes, repeatedly asking the same question: “When will we arrive?” We all have 24 hours in a day—have we used them efficiently? The astonishing thing is that the yawning brother complains about the lack of time!

Time is an hourglass, and with the last grain, our lives end. Let’s read The Compound Effect by motivational speaker and American author Darren Hardy and Atomic Habits by self-development expert and American author James Clear to understand what a single minute can do in our lives.

The article in your hands is meaningless if it doesn’t stir something within you. Drink your tea, watch what soothes your soul, and let things be if you wish. I admire those who don’t finish the article because they understood the poem from its opening lines. The idea of the article is based on the fact that parts make up the goal, and steps lead to destinations. So, where is your goal? And why aren’t you striving?

Remember the story of the ant’s persistence in carrying a grain of barley to its home, and make it your life’s approach. Read one page a day, or set aside five minutes to read a book, and you’ll be amazed at the brilliance you achieve. Knowledge is like wealth—save a penny every day, and you’ll end up with a pot of gold. And whoever reads every day will soon become a walking library, astonishing their readers and listeners!

There’s only one disease you need to fight: laziness. Only one fruit we urgently need: commitment to the plan. Then, we’ll build a house out of pebbles.