Winning Bids

Yesterday, in a free moment at work, I visited the online auction being run by one of my kids' schools. I bid on a few items, and I thought about some others. Since my kids were eager for me to support their schools in this way (and who doesn't like the thrill of a little online bidding!), I figured I should at least do something before bidding ended last night. I could always revisit my bids or place others right before the auction's end, but at least I could say I'd done something.
 
I woke up this morning to find (via email) that I was the winning bidder on three items. I hadn't broken the bank or anything, but I was completely surprised by the messages, as I had completely forgotten about the auction, last minute bidding and all, once I'd gotten home from work. It is only because I jumped on those free moments earlier that I ended up "in the game" at all. Would I have lived without the things I bought? Sure. I just would have endured the ire of kids who has wanted me to show some school spirit.
 
The point here is not school spirit, though I am happy to show some when I can. The point is that free moments, well used, do matter. Our lives are unquestionably busy, packed with work and family commitments, and we are challenged just to keep up, and often able to do little more with our free moments than catch our breath. But when we use those free moments for a little more, we end up with a little more. It may not be anything earth-shattering, but it is something that might not fit into our normal schedule, but that we managed to do, simply because we used a few free moments.
 
It was fun to wake up to the surprise of winning bids, but it was even more fun to know that the use of my free time had made a difference. Whether it's for self-improvement or for bettering the world, or for something in between, a little time can make a difference. If we use it well.