A Direct Line Blog

By Donya Parrish, MCU VP Risk Management

A few days ago, we went through that semi-annual ritual of changing our clocks and convincing ourselves we had just “gained an hour” of time. After congressional action that was close to ending it last year, daylight saving time is a bit like the Mark Twain quote that notes, “the rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

Since the time change continues, let me ask the big question: What did you do with your extra hour?

I think most of us just slept longer or had an extra cup of coffee, to be honest.  Maybe if it didn’t happen overnight we could come up with better uses for that time. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we committed to an hour of volunteer work to use our extra one in a productive manner?

There are, after all, sidewalks to be shoveled, food to be collected, gutters to be cleared, shopping for underprivileged children for the holidays, and so much more. These few pre-holiday weeks are a perfect time to not only reflect on your values for giving, but to plan what is most meaningful before time gets away from us during the bustle of the season. It might also be an opportunity for you to personally step up and offer to organize a blood drive or giving tree at the credit union. If you need help on choosing a reputable charity, check out this week’s consumer blog post.

If you have pets or small children, you are very aware that their demanding internal clock remains on the previous schedule for weeks. Despite the “extra” hour, I find myself wondering, where does the time go?