Where does the time go?

Where does the time go? How many times a day do you ask yourself that simple question? How many times have you not been able to discover the answer, lol? 

As adults, many of us will reflect back and recall how simpler times were when we were younger. There weren't as many distractions, not as many responsibilities. Although, the responsibility part just comes with age. Our kids will probably say the same thing in 20 or 30 years. 

When I was a kid most families were a one-income family; meaning mom was usually there to fix you lunch on a summer day. We would go outside to ride our bikes and play as soon as the breakfast dishes were done. We would come home at lunchtime or call home (from a landline) to see if we could stay over at a friend's house. We played OUTSIDE all day; if it rained we played games under the covered front porch or in a fort in someone's backyard. Sadly, I hardly ever see kids outside riding their bikes anymore. Somewhere along the line kids found it more interesting to stay in and play video games and watch Netflix (please note I have nothing against Netflix, but everything should be in moderation). And sadly, many parents seem fine with that. But I can also admit that things are different today than when I was a kid. A lot of families have two incomes (although, some are lucky to work from home) which means that time needs to be divided differently.

Time is a funny thing. It can creep by at a snail's pace or it can go by in the blink of an eye.

I often find myself wondering ...

• When did my kids grow up to be adults? I can look at their baby pictures and feel like it was only yesterday.
• Has my family really lived in our house for nearly 20 years? That's the longest I've EVER been in one place.
• Have I really been at my same job for 17 years? It sure doesn't seem like it.
• When did the grey hairs start being the norm? (that's an obvious one, lol ... after my kids made it through their teenage years and college)

Some days I find myself wishing things could slow down a bit (okay, a lot). It seems like we grow up thinking things will be better when we're older, then the responsibilities smack us in the face and we work ... all the time. We're always planning for our future, so much so, that it's easy to forget to stop and smell the roses (or you fill in the metaphor). There comes a point you have to say, 'What the heck.' Take that vacation. Read that book you've been putting off. Work on that hobby you never have enough time for, but is supposed to help you relax and sleep better. Write that book or run that race. None of us have guarantees on how much time we have left on this earth to do anything, so we need to start making the time.

Take a 5 minute break, grab a cool drink, find someplace quiet where you can actually hear yourself think, put your phone away, and decide what you don't want to miss out on. Then, make it happen!

What have you not had time to do, but really want to?

What would you tell yourself?

I took some time off this week for some prescribed R&R. That, I'm founding out, is a tough nut to crack. I am more used to being on the go; being productive, tackling my To Do lists, and planning ahead ... always planning ahead. I've tried to do a little reading, have watched more episodes of Fixer Upper and Property Brothers than I care to count, and having been watching You Tube videos of some of my favorite songs. The last part has been fun; I listen to the music and then pull up and study the lyrics, breaking them down to their foundation. Gosh, I LOVE when people write great songs!

This afternoon's favorite selection? Dear Younger Me by Mercy Me. The song talks about reflection and the wisdom that can only come with time and experience. The question that comes to my mind though is what would you do with the wisdom you've acquired IF you had a choice? What would you want to share with the younger version of you?

Would you tell the younger you all you think you did wrong to save yourself the pain and the struggle OR would you tell the younger you to embrace the struggles and the challenges because you know they will build your character? Yes, these are the tough questions. Would you go back and try to smooth the way for yourself or would you encourage yourself to fight the big fights and take on the big challenges?

Everyone's answers to these questions will most likely be different; not because our views are necessarily different, but because our pasts and our challenges are personal. They run deep to our core. Sometimes we don't even share them with our friends, let alone our younger selves.

What nuggets of wisdom would you share with the younger you and why?

Can you ever really be prepared?

Are you a planner? Do you save for your retirement? Do you bring a detailed list with you to the grocery store? When you got married did you have a life plan; how long you would wait before you started a family or bought your first house? Many of us can relate to these scenarios. We have good intentions and we try to plan, but a thing called 'life' tends to get in the way.

It can be as simple as we may have dreamt too big too soon. Sometimes we really don't understand all it will take to get from point A to point B. Perhaps we don't understand everything that will be involved; the time something will take, the dedication, and what it will cost.

Have you ever tried to plan for a loss? If you found yourself caring for someone who was sick you may have had a little glimpse of what lied ahead and tried to prepare yourself. Sometimes we don't get any time to prepare. We tell someone goodbye in the morning as they go off to work not realizing that they might not come home that night. Life has a tendency to throw us curve balls without any warning. When that happens all we can do is react and then give ourselves permission to adjust later.

Have you ever tried to prepare for a blessing; a child on the way perhaps? You do your research, you read your books, and you listen to the free advice from everyone around you. Then the baby arrives and maybe you don't feel like you're ready. Don't worry. Your parental instincts are there, and the rest will come with time and experience.There are people there to help if you let them. The saying , 'It takes a village to raise a child' has more merit than you think.

Sometimes, the scene can play out simply by trying to get a lot of extra work done so you won't feel as guilty taking some personal time off. I know I fall into this category. I put the responsibility on myself to try not to inconvenience anyone when I am not at work. Although, cramming 60 hours worth of work into a 40 hour week probably isn't the healthiest of ideas. All you manage to do is wear yourself out before you take your time off. I've known people who could just clock out and say, 'Bye, see you in a week.' I wonder what their secret was.

I guess my question today is 'Can we ever really be prepared?' More importantly, should we even put that pressure on ourselves to try? Truth be told, we will do our best; sometimes we will succeed and sometimes we will fail. But that's okay.

What kinds of things do you plan for? 
What kinds of things would you rather go with the flow with?