My 4%!

So this writing thing I do daily.......is it really necessary?Seriously,is it just some kind of frivolous indulgence? Is it an escape from the real world, the world where real people go out and get real jobs and handle real tasks and real chores daily?
A dear friend of mine who passed away last September, would often challenge me with these kinds of questions.She never read any of my stuff.It wasn't what she did.There were times when we discussed my writing,I could almost see her turning red with frustration."How do you have the time to waste?"she would frequently ask.
I would smile at her and say "I fit it in...."
In calmer conversations she would ask how long it took me to write each day.My answer was always the same.....a few minutes, even though I never took notice of just how much time I spent at writing.
Lately,I have taken notice.Possibly ,since she is no longer here to challenge me,I must challenge myself.The truth is,from the time I start typing to the time I hit send, I seem to spend about an hour.Sometimes a little less,sometimes a little more.Most times when I push away from my desk and look up at the clock, an hour has vanished.Gone just like that....4% of my day.
Here's the thing......on most days, it's the best hour of my day.
I am not worrying about paying my bills.I am not worrying about what my next move is.I am not concerned about global events,the political scene,what tasks I have for the day,what meals have to be prepared,how much weight I lost or gained, how I look, how I feel,or for that matter what anyone thinks of me. 
I just hunt and peck my way across the keyboard until I get to the bottom of the page.
Normally I reread for typo's (okay so I miss a few here and there) and then send it off into space.
Once I hit send,well then all of the rest of those things I didn't think about come roaring back into my head. Like a giant tsunami, the realities of the "real" world come crashing down on me , often leaving me desperately gasping for air or trying to find a place of refuge.
But in that 1 hour,that gift that I give myself,sometimes begrudgingly,I find peace and happiness. I feel like my life has purpose. I feel alive.
So H.....the answer to your question is,I make the time.....for me.
It gives me the strength to live the other 96%, the other 23 hours each and every day.
Kind of like the visits she and I shared on weekends.