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?

When Time Stands Still

When I was a kid, time could never move fast enough. It seemed to take forever for holidays, birthdays, and even Saturday mornings to come. It was like the sand in the hour glass was stuck. But, as a kid, I was never very patient. Ironically, not much has changed as I've grown up. I'm still impatient, but now it's because I'm busy with responsibilities, To Do lists, and busy schedules.

As a parent, time had different issues; there was never enough of it. By the time we worked, did the laundry, cleaned the house, helped the kids with their homework, got them to their functions, etc. we often didn't have any time leftover for ourselves, much less ... a full night's sleep.

But amidst this crazy journey called 'life' I have discovered something AMAZING. I've moved into my next phase; that of being a grandparent. It's proving to be one of my favorite phases, truth be told. Why? Not because I get to spoil my granddaughters and then give them back to their parents, but because when I get to spend time with them ... time seems to stand still. I can't explain how or why it happens, but just last week I played 'stickers' with one granddaughter and rocked the other and realized that over the course of an hour I NEVER looked at the clock. So, in my mind, time did stand still. It was fascinating, truly scientific (I'm sure), and completely beautiful.

If this is part of what happens as a grandparent, I am THRILLED. It may take some creative scheduling to carve out the time needed to make a trip to the west side of the mitten, but it is definitely worth it. Today I drove to my son and daughter-in-law's house to stay for a couple of days and I had time to read to the 'little ones', rock the baby for few hours, giggle with the toddler, and for a change; live in the moment. 

What am I learning? That obviously I shouldn't look at the clock quite as much as I do, but some habits are harder to break than others. Like everyone else I am a constant work in progress. I learn as I go. The good news, though, is that I keep learning.