
The Concept.
Once the watch has completed its travels, it'll be auctioned off for charity. However, that is only the secondary aim of this project. The driving force behind TakeTime is to raise awareness of a message that was close to Matthew’s heart.
It sounds silly, but how many of us actually take time out to appreciate what we have? To do something for no other reason than it makes us happy?
A walk through the park. Sitting in the back garden and listening to birdsong. Picking up the phone and giving your old aunt Maude a ring. *Other brands of aunts are available.
For the most part, we keep our heads down and slog away, trundling through life with some hopeful notion that we’ll have time to enjoy ourselves once we retire.
Not that there is anything wrong with hard work but it’s all about perspective. Ask a room full of young, ambitious university graduates what they want out of life and you’ll probably get answers like ‘A 6 bed house,’ or ‘A Ferrari.’
Then go and ask the same question to a group of patients in a hospice. Who do you think will have a better understanding of what really matters?
Perhaps it is better summed up in Mathew's own words:
“Look after yourself and your well-being, mentally and physically – make sure you talk about any issues with the right people.
Value life because there’s not enough of it – appreciate seeing friends, eating your favourite meal with family, going to the cinema.
Put your phone down, go out for a walk and appreciate the silly things, go dancing with your friends and engage with your community."
The words of a man who knew how fleeting life really is. The sentiment behind TakeTime.