Time

Stop and think about the clock and how fast time really ticks by. I thought people were crazy when they said “time flies”; however, my opinion after becoming a mother (and aging) has changed.

Time does pass too quickly. Every day, hour, minute, second. Motherhood opened my eyes to the passage of time. You watch with awestruck amazement at your beautiful baby and they change so quickly. Every day. Right in front of you. They start to recognize you, smile, roll over, crawl, stand, walk, talk. All this in one year! You hardly have time to enjoy each stage and they are moving on to the next. Children want their parents’ time. They can only play or watch television for so long. They need your attention (really listen to your children), they need your love and they love doing things with you. Get those crayons out and color. Get creative. Bake. Play outside. Hike. Just spend time together. In the long run, that is what matters. All children would rather have their parents’ time instead of a substitute. Money cannot replace your time.

Each year passes more quickly. As we age, time seems to speed up. The new year starts and before we know it, we are preparing Thanksgiving dinner and worry about writing Christmas cards, buying and wrapping gifts and did I bake enough this year? Remember being a seventh grader and thinking your senior year would never come? Well, ask a high school senior if their year has gone slowly? I bet they’ll tell you they cannot believe it is almost over. Time moves all too quickly. In every stage of life.

Time. We never seem to have enough time. Time for our families. Time for ourselves. Time escapes us until it is too late. If you ask the question, “What one thing would you want if you could have anything?” Most people, seriously, would want the opportunity to spend more time with someone dear to them. I know I would. Almost 23 years have passed since my father passed away. As an adult, I never got the chance to know my father. I have questions that go unanswered. I have lost grandparents, aunts, uncles and dear friends. The time that they have been gone from this earthly world has ticked by. I have parents and relatives that I pray for daily because they have health issues or are in good health and I pray that they remain healthy. Fear flames high when I hear the word biopsy, cancer or testing. What happens then? You wait. Tick tock, tick tock. Many people regret that they don’t spend more time with family members or loved ones. They realize this when it is too late. Too late – sorry. Think about it. Prioritize. What really matters here in your life? People? Money? A huge house? Children? Parents? Family? Friends? Material Items?

Life is nothing but time. (We all have a preset time to be here on earth). Time does not move faster. Each minute has 60 seconds. Each hour has 60 minutes. Each day has 24 hours. How we manage our time is what is important. Some people waste time and do nothing. Others try to accomplish or experience too much and run themselves ragged. So much so, they don’t enjoy what they set out to accomplish.

We need to slow down. Smell the flowers. Write (not email) that note to a long-lost friend or family member. Hug your family and tell them you love them. Sit down and eat together. Snuggle. Play. Read that book. Stroll down memory lane with those photos you have stored some place.

Simplify your life. The more you simplify, the better life gets. Simple is good. Simple is sweet. Take the time to do those things you keep saying you will do. Just do them and enjoy them. Take the time! Perhaps it’ll seem that the minutes are not flying by. Savor the moment.