What makes Theophrastus's observation sharp is the word "spend"—it treats time as currency we actively dispense rather than something that simply passes. Most people speak of time as if it's being stolen from them, but his formulation reminds us that we are the ones making the expenditure, which means we're accountable for the choices. When you cancel plans to scroll through your phone, you've just made a withdrawal from the account that matters most; when you show up early to listen to someone's trouble, you've chosen the investment that actually compounds. The sting in his words comes from recognizing that unlike money, which you might recover or earn back, time spent is genuinely gone—no refund, no second chances.