Our family had weekend movie nights. They were so fun. We rented movies at Rogers or Blockbuster back in the day. At that time, we relied on the movie covers and descriptions to see what could be entertaining.

One evening, we brought back a movie called War of the Planets. Unfortunately, we lost a few hours that we never got back.This movie is not War of the Worlds that starred Tom Cruise, but it was a low budget flick that somehow caught our interest at the store. My brother, dad, and I suffered through it.

In fact, it was the worst movie we’ve ever seen. It had the longest and most boring opening scene. All I can recall were two people blandly talking to each other while lying in a space bed. We decided to watch it to the end, only to have the plot abruptly stop. The beginning was too long, and the ending never came. While it was a bad movie, it was a great bonding experience for the boys. We often joked about it.

Movies like this remind me of the paradox of time. Moments that are short can feel long, and sometimes we remember an hour as if it was ten, and ten as if it was one. For example. that opening scene in War of the Planets felt like forever. But I couldn’t help binge watch the latest Kenobi series as if it was a single movie. And time can have that allure too in financial markets.

Time might feel extra long and stressful when we see our accounts fall. There were inflationary pressures, supply-chain disruptions, and political events that affected stock and bond markets year-to-date. A few weeks ago, we entered bear market territory as the S&P500 Index lost 20% from its previous peak.

Desert Wisdom encouraged me to prioritize the value of time. “An old man said: If you have lost gold or silver, you can find something in replace of what you lost. However, if you lose time, you cannot replace what you lost.” I’m reminded that in economic downturns, we can lose a significant value of our financial investments. Hopefully, it is managed well by someone with a long-term view. But time: that is irreplaceable.

Whether the moments might feel long or short, the gift of time is what really matters. A probable recession might be a little bump along the way over the grand history of time. And our time is limited. We only have a set number of hours per day. We can use it wisely, or we can use it worriedly.

We might have a $1000 investment drop to $800 in a recessionary environment— but we can also lose our peace of heart and mind. Which, would you agree, is not more valuable? Rather than get worried about our finances when markets are down, why not use our time wisely? From a financial standpoint, we could talk with our financial advisor and ensure that our portfolio is being managed well. We can talk with friends, coworkers, and family members if we think a change should be made. And we can seek to understand financial markets.

From a lifestyle standpoint, we can prioritize what really matters. Seeing that time is limited, what are life-giving things we can do? Life is more than making money and watching it grow (or watching it fall for that matter). The real satisfaction comes from the joys of daily life. I find that quality time spent with family and friends brings me energy. I might play boardgames, throw a frisbee, or take a nice walk. I might even bond with my family over a really bad movie. Money and good movies are needed, but only time cannot be replaced.