Bankable Karma

Are karma and time bankable? Can you save them up for emergencies to deposit and withdraw as needed? Can you divvy them out strategically?

Here’s some insight into the possibilities:

Imagine a karma bank. “Welcome to the Bank of Karma, how may I help you? Your account? Certainly… Every time you make a deposit of Good Things, we hold on to it and pay you back in a way we see fit. If you make a withdrawal or your Good Things balance goes into the red, then bad stuff will happen until you start paying in again.”

It seems far-fetched.

A local karma bank?
We could debate all we want about the existence of a Bank of Karma — a place where good deeds are stored until you need them, with good turns handed out at fate’s whim — but it wouldn’t do any good. Even if there were a Bank of Karma, my local branch would probably be all internet-based now, or automated through a center with a multitude of options, when all you want to know is how to put in your check.

But what about a Bank of Time? Now you’re talking. You thought your bank was mean — look at this: the Bank of Time never lends, there’s no interest paid and when you’ve spent your balance they close your account and that’s it. There are no call centers, but that’s okay because you can never pay into it.

The security features are not that great. Someone else can get their hands on your time if your account is not being used. You can either spend your time yourself or you can let someone else spend it for you.

A bank of time
But the Bank of time is not totally heartless. You can use your time for anything you like. You can give it away and hold it back, but the fact is it will run out.Time, like money, can be saved. You can spend it on someone else, but it has no value on its own and it’s worth nothing without you.

Don’t expect much change out of twenty four hours, either. You can’t cram too much into any given day, because like your real money, you have to invest it. You need to sleep and eat and work at your relationships and learn and practice — all the things that will bring you a meaningful return on your time, as long as you spend it, and as long as you spend it.

And save some for yourself. We’ve all seen those people who do everything for other people and nothing for themselves – they’re often miserable. Spend some time just for you. You’ll be happier and that makes other people happy. There’s the karma.

Seize the day?

No.

Spend the day.