Allow Me One More

One more post about time passing.

I had an older lady, years ago, when I was in my late 20's, tell me "Son, when you get my age, the days go by like hours, the months like weeks, and the years like months."

I can remember thinking "damn that's scary, I wonder what's wrong with her".  Turns out, nothing.  She was so right.

Last night we watched our only son graduate from high school.  In the same theater he had played a sheep in a Christmas play in first grade.  As we walked out to the truck afterwards I had one of those "moments".  "Didn't we just do something like this not long ago?" my head asked me.  "Dude, that was 12 YEARS ago, where have you been?" that other little voice in my head answered.  Exactly; where had I been?

The answer is living life, like all of us do.  And yes, time does seem to fly by (unless I'm on the trainer or the treadmill).  The key, if there is one, is to enjoy the passage of time.  I figure since I've crested the hill, I might as well enjoy the ride down.  It looks like there'll be some serious bumps ahead, but hey, so far it's been a good ride.

Nice how my hair blends with the white wall isn't it?

I'd love to do it again.  Except Jr. high and high school.  I don't want to ever have to relive that.

#2

Which brings me to my second train of thought for this morning.  Last night at commencement one of the speakers told the kids that "this was the best time of their life."  I don't know about that.  Was high school the best time of your life?  I've rarely met any well adjusted people who thought high school was great.

Even college wasn't all that fun, at least while I was there.  I remember my room mate saying "My dad said this would be the best time of my life.  If it gets worse than this I'm gonna kill myself."  But time has a way of coloring things with a golden glow.

The Future

Anyhoo, The Kid came away with Valedictorian (thank goodness for spell check) and some nice scholarships.  His speech was humorous.  It was the most anybody there had heard him say in the 12 years he'd been there.

Now it's off to UF for him.  The Lovely Wife and I will be empty nesters.  Many people have warned us that this will be difficult to adjust to.  It'll be just another bump, but I suspect, not a very big one.  I have been using it as an excuse to plan new hobbies.  Maybe a road bike since he won't be around to ride with.  Plus a kayak for The Lovely Wife and I to paddle since she'll need a distraction also.

I guess that's one solution, just make the bumps into jumps.  Get a little air, you know, and try to enjoy the ride.