The Strawberry Chapter 9

The Strawberry Chapter 9

Lessons

by Katherine Aguilar

Time

The lessons that endure are those that shape people’s decisions and values throughout life. This story is about one such lesson.

My sister’s Godfather once showed my siblings and me his office. There, he advised, “Never be late to work. Respect others’ time. Time is the one thing you can never reclaim—once a minute passes, it becomes memory.” I was only nine, but I never forgot his words. To this day, I arrive early so I can learn from my predecessor and ensure they leave promptly.

Time is something you can never recover. When you are born, your life clock starts ticking. That reality can feel heavy, but it pushes me to use my time wisely and pursue meaningful goals. There are no shortcuts; everyone has their own journey, and mine might have taken longer. Still, I aim to focus on what truly matters to me.

Ephesians 5:15-17, which urges making the best use of the present time.

The Teacher

This chapter is about the impact a teacher can have. Mr. Bell influenced me in ways I still carry today.

Mr. Bell, a retired businessman, devoted himself to helping his students succeed. His classroom was filled with students who wanted to learn. He encouraged us to pursue success our own way and shared practical business lessons. He helped us set out goals for the future. He took extra time to give us real world presentations to give what we would be expecting in the business world. He wanted us to be successful. He visited my employer to talked to the General Manager to ensure I was not being taken advantage of in the work environment. He cared about his students. It was with his guidance. I won my only trophy in his class—second place in Marketing and Presentation—which I still cherish today.

It's never too late to make a difference in your life and others'. That seed of knowledge shared with me years ago, I have passed along, so it keeps growing. Hopefully, those I've shared it with will use it and continue the chain.

If not, the seed will dry up and fade away.

Direct Seed

Being direct does not always seem kind. My word expressions are not always smooth. Every day, people find endless reasons to complain. Society almost encourages complaining—about work, family, weather, bills—the list is endless. Years ago, I asked myself: What is there really to complain about? I am alive. I have a job and friends.

I stopped complaining because it drained my energy and brought no benefit. It changed my life when I stopped.

Now, when I hear daily complaints about trivial things, I think: be grateful you have something to complain about—some don’t have that privilege. Usually, I keep this to myself. But one day, as complaints filled the lunchroom, someone even made a harsh remark about God. When I finished my lunch, I simply told them, "Next time you pray to God, pray you find a different career," and walked out.

Was I a bit direct? Yes. Did it come off as rude? Probably. But in that moment, the ongoing complaints were draining the room of its calm, making it difficult for anyone to find peace.

If all a person can do is complain when they go and come from work. Then they should go live under a bridge for a week and see if what they are complaining about was really that important after all. They have a home and family. Society needs to be more grateful for what it has rather than complain about what it doesn't.

Some seem to enjoy complaining. That’s their choice; they can waste as much of their life clock as they wish. I have already let too much time go to waste on other things. I will not spend days complaining.