I don't think I've become my father -- although every once in a while I see a ghost of him when I look in the mirror. What I see mostly, when I look in the mirror, is the gray hair, and how it's thinning, especially on top. And I think: Hmmm, maybe I don't have brown hair anymore, after all.
So do we become our parents? I don't know about that. But, to me anyway, it does seem that in recent years, time has taken on a different quality.
When I think back to when I was growing up . . . that does seem like a long time ago, I have to admit. It was over 50 years ago when I was in high school. That's as long as an historic era -- as long as the period between the Civil War and World War I.
But it doesn't seem that long ago when my kids were in high school, and Bill Clinton was president. And yet, my daughter has been out of high school for half her life. And my son almost so.
More recently, I recall our trip retracing the Oregon Trail. We spent several months planning the vacation -- deciding where we wanted to go, setting out the route, figuring where we wanted to stop, making reservations, contacting people. And then, suddenly, we were on the trip. The planning was over, and we were actually doing it. And now we're back. Did we really even ever do it? It is just a memory . . . or was it a dream?
On a smaller scale, I got the same feeling about my colonoscopy. It seemed like I had just had a colonoscopy. But, sure enough, five years had gone by. So I found myself making the appointment, doing the preparation (which seemed to take forever while I was doing it); then suddenly I'm there in the medical pavilion ... and it's over. I had two small polyps; they're gone; I'm good for another five years.
Of course, I'm glad that one's over. But . . . everything these days seems to slip by so quickly.
And now we're planning our summer trip to Cape Cod. Will it be over before I know it?
Pink Floyd isn't making exactly the same point -- and it's sure not the song B was whistling -- but if you're a Pink Floyd fan like I am, you'll appreciate what they're saying. For they remind us, "Every year is getting shorter ..."
20 comments:
It's so true. It all is passing by at the speed of light, it seems. Where did the years go? :-)
I danced to that song at my 8th grade graduation--lol.
You hit the nail on the head.
Time does seem to fly- doesn't it? My son said, "we can go there in a few years. We don't have to plan it now." Yes, yes we do, because a few years will be here before you know it. the children will be in school and job will become an obsession.
I want to hold my arms out to say, "Slow down!"
But life goes on.
How true. Yet we know time is measured the same was since we were born. As a youth I looked at aging people wondering how they coped. They seemed slow and ralked with repetion. Over the years my image also pointed me to the fact that senior years had arrived. And time does seem much faster but that change happened gradually because at times when kids were young I wished for those days to speed up so I could be less tied to them. Now I travel miles to spend moments each year and it feels very short indeed. I think our body chemistry and mind must play a role now or perhaps it is our experiences have caused a shift in perception? Still I long to enjoy all that life has yet to offer my aging eyes and all. Thanks for thispost and so glad you are all good again.
Personally, I have fewer distractions and am able to meditate on what has happened in the last few years and think about what lies ahead. We get a better feeling for time I think. We realize it is finite. We finally have that magical talent of perspective.
It does seem like time is flying. I think it's perspective too. When I was a 10 year old time seemed to drag and there was 70-80 years ahead of me. Now I don't seem to get through my want-to-do's each day or week and there are 76 years behind me not ahead. I'm not at the "don't buy green bananas" stage but I don't put off trips or getting those concert tickets with my kids, or the all important sitting on the patio comtemplating my navel. I think the trick is to enjoy something about each day.
You said it, Tom! My younger son graduated from high school 20 years ago. Barely graduated! I remember the effort and it seems like just yesterday. Last night Art and I were talking about a particular evening we spent in Galway, Ireland - and that was 20 years ago also. Hard to believe!
I am enjoying the present, though, also. As I said at a speaking engagement this spring, "Just because we're retired doesn't mean we're done."
I hear ya. Time is moving way too quickly, or so it seems as we get older. I think about “time” all the time. Is that an indicator that I am getting older and don’t have much time left?
Well, I am glad you had those polyps removed before they became tumors.
I sometimes feel that someone is spinning the wheel faster and faster. Here it is the middle of summer and Christmas will soon be on it's way. Didn't we just have Christmas?
As for what we look like aging... I wish I could see that I looked like someone in my family. I guess others see it (or so I've been told) but I don't. I do try to think of every day as a 'gift'... since my siblings never made it past their 50's... and I'm in my 70's! At some point in aging I think we begin to look at things differently (meaning we realize that time is running out).
Time used to flow like a river. One thing happened and then another in chronological order. Now when I look back it seems like water in a bucket. Did it happen five years ago or twenty five?
Thoughtful post. we seem to have our image in our head when we were much younger.
I often complain to DW that time goes by all too quickly; whether it's doing something easy or difficult, at work or pursuing other interests. It's been obvious for a long time that time is the most valuable commodity and the older I get the stingier I am with it. As to why it goes by faster as one ages, DW noted that, when you are a kid, a week, a summer or a year is a relatively larger portion of your total existence as opposed to the much smaller portion of one's existence when years pile on. Also, when younger, many experiences were new and less likely to be engaged in some form of autopilot. One could then reason that the remedy is to take up something completely new. The trouble then is that if it's something you like or is important, then you will focus and then time will really fly.
I lose track of the years, and admit to wishing I could turn back the clock a bit. The past 5 years have flown—way too fast! But, at the same time, I am grateful for all that I have, especially good health! I admit that I indulge in looking back a lot more than I should. I like today, but the happiest times seem to be behind me—what an admission!
Hi Tom! I SO agree that time seems to be going incredibly fast these days. Like I wrote in my own post just a few weeks ago, every now and then I need to pause, breathe, and remind myself, "This is it!" So easy to forgot how precious every moment is....and yes, we can't forget, "The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older." ~Kathy
My husband and I were just talking about this the other day! It seems the older we get the faster time goes. We just finished Christmas and now the Fourth of July is past??? Yet another reminder to enjoy each and every day.
You capture the feeling of the time gallop so well.
I remember seeing a cast picture with myself on stage and literally gasping at my image:my father looking back at me. NOT my pretty wee mother.
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For some reason the days go by so much faster than they used to. There's still so much I want to accomplish, see and do. The best thing to do is do everything to stay healthy to enjoy it a lot longer.
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I had bookmarked your blog and come back to read it every so often. This post is similar to one I've written a while back. To this day, we still find it hard to believe that we've been living on a boat for 18 years, and been on the TN River for the last 11! Here's the link to that post.
Where did the time go?
I think that my wife is more like her mother than I am like my father, but I wouldn't dare tell her so.
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