I Must Be Old

Does time really go faster? When I was young, this always seemed like what grown-ups would say; after all, didn't Christmas take for-EVER, and Halloween take for-EVER to get here?? I used to overhear my mom and dad talk about how fast we kids were growing up, how the time was just flying by, how there was never any time to get stuff done. I always thought this was ridiculous. Now that I am a mom, I really think time IS going faster.

I mentioned in my last post (yes, I know it was weeks ago) how the retail sector pushes us forward against our will. I think there is a secret society made up of retail executives who all get together and plan to start the "season" one day earlier every year. As a result, we start thinking about Halloween in August, Thanksgiving in September, and Christmas starts the second the clock strikes twelve on Halloween night, sort of like a Cinderella-in-waiting. Because of this, I constantly feel behind; I am not yet finished with my normal day to day stuff before the other stuff intrudes: how big of a Turkey to buy, how many twinkle lights to put out this year, or what do the kids want in their stockings (do I even know where the stockings are)? Pushing against this force of nature that constantly pushes us forward is hard to do. I want to stand still sometimes; to get off the train and walk around a little bit before the train takes off to the next station. Or walk beside the cart for a while instead of constantly running behind it keeping the apples that fall off from hitting the ground. Candice and I laugh about how our lives are like a huge house of cards, delicately balanced, one card on top of the next. Remove a card from the bottom and a whole section falls down. There is constantly something going on; the lunches at the preschool, the birthdays at the elementary school, the opening of "the movie" (New Moon - YAY!), the early drives to school for tutoring sessions, swim practice and coaching. I find myself yearning for the holiday to actually come and go so that I don't have to worry about it anymore. And then of course, the guilt sets in as I realize that I am wishing away my life.

Next week, we have time off. The swim schedule changes so that we are done by noon. Thanksgiving will be here and we will sit down and count our blessings as birds in the hand. "The movie" will have been released and I can go see it during the day without any screaming 12 year-olds sitting next to me yelling every time Edward or Jacob comes on the screen (double yay!). We will begin the decorating for Christmas and thinking about presents. I can watch as the kids look at all the ornaments and laugh and remember. The point is, I have much to look forward to. The real point is, I don't want to be too caught up in the future to miss the present. -K