Here's a photo of Peggy from Musings of Meggie and me in Illinois some 30 years ago at a village 4th of July parade. Our children are in front of us in their 4th of July festive wear and decorated trikes.
I remember my mother-in-law telling me around that time that we should treasure every moment of our lives because it passes so quickly. "My body has aged," she said in almost disbelief, "but my thoughts, my feelings are still 16." Her words have haunted me ever since.
I'm going to be 60 this year although my mother still seems to think I'm 6 years old. Peggy and I had comfortably crossed over into our 30's when that photo was taken. We thought we'd always be neighbors loving our lives as stay-at-home moms, watching our children navigate the mysteries of the world. We thought our children would grow up together. We joked about our children getting married.
Some years later, I would go back to work as a teacher and Peggy and her family would move to California. They would then move to Ohio. It still seemed so far away. Then she would move a little closer to central Illinois but I would then move back to Hawaii.
Thirty years have gone by but on my office wall is a plaque she gave me then that says, "Friends are Forever."
My mother-in-law's words are echoing through me now as we have soared into another new year that already feels like it's flying by even faster than the last. I'm wondering what I should be doing to make the most of the years ahead. I'd like to know how I can slow it down.
just take a deep breathe and treasure each moment. it's funny with mom's you are always their little girl.
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ReplyDeleteI'm 75 and I have slowed down considerably because it seemed I lived my life at a dead run. Sometimes I wondered whether I was running toward something or away from something. Still, I keep moving, keep finding more lovely things, more things to be involved in. But it's true that it does seem as though time keeps speeding up the more I slow down. I have learned to stop and take a deep breath and treasure almost every minute -- there are a few I could do without! but that's reality, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful, bittersweet post, Kay. We do think things will last forever and so sadly, they don't. Time keeps moving whether we want it to or not, but I do suppose it is better to keep going with it. How sweet the memories.
ReplyDeleteKay, I echo your sentiments. The trick is to have at least 1 long term project and 1 short term project. Your blog is the 2nd one, and perhaps building your house is your 1st? The main thing is, don't waste a second regretting the past or worrying about the future. Today is what counts!
ReplyDeleteI have had some of these bitter sweet thoughts too. I guess we are all shocked when age catches up with us when we're busy living. I'm now getting information about medicare, since I will be 65 this summer. How did that happen? And then I look at my children and grandchildren, my past work as a teacher, the home my husband and I have made together, the friendships we've made, and I realize I "deserve" to be 65. I've done plenty to get there. And I have more to do.
ReplyDeleteI found reaching 60 affected me than any other 'milestone' birthday, perhaps because the official world now sees me as a 'senior citizen'. And my body's been none too cooperative either! But I've found that having to slow down has actually helped me to treasure the moments. I've also stopped procrastinating; if I want to do something I make plans to do it rather than put it somewhere into the future. And that's fun.
ReplyDeleteKay-I just gave you The Butterfly Award-see my blog!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post. I smiled at what you said about your mother; I remember mine avoiding mirrors from about the time she turned 70 because (she said) she couldn't see herself in it anymore anyhow, and was sick of looking at her mother. I didn't understand that until my own grey hair started to arrive, and then I began to think a lot about her, and being younger and older.
ReplyDeleteI love that photo of you two!
Great post and photos!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be 62 in a couple months and I'll be darned if I know where the time went!
Sigh!
When did she grow to be a beauty? When did he grow to be so tall? Wasn't it yesterday that they were small? Sunrise, Sunset... quickly fly the years...
ReplyDeleteIt's all true. It's amazing what pleasure I find in old photographs.
Comfortable recollections of a life spent loving my children, and learning a little wisdom along the away.
I can't slow life down. I'm not even sure I would when I think of how it would inhibit my children and grandchildren from realizing their dreams... but, I intend to savor every moment. I want to leave a huge basket full of memories for my kids to laugh over when I'm no longer with them.
This is such a tender and touching post, Kay. It's so like you.
If you figure out how to slow it down, you'd become quite rich, I imagine. :)
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your thoughts and feelings always being 16... I just assumed I was weird.
Kay;
ReplyDeleteYou made me cry..how dear you are to me!
We may live far away from each other but our hearts are still in the same place there on Williamsburg road! I plan on still being around for another 30 years with you as my friend!
"I'm going to be 60 this year although my mother still seems to think I'm 6 years old. "
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they relax and enjoy our maturity & care?
Cute pic! aloha-
Kay-when you learn how to slow time down, let me know. I can't believe it is 2009 already!! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteKay, what a beautiful and amazing post. The tears welled up. And you do not look too different from you picture half a life time ago either.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother told me the exact same thing - you dont feel any different except for your body getting older.
Time does go so quickly but when you look at what a wonderful friendship you have had all those years - wow!!
This post would be great published in a magazine. We all can identify with it!
Oh Kay, your post says so much! I think all we can do is to slow down and savor each and every moment, keep on collecting wonderful memories and look at the world through our children's eyes. We are not getting older, we are getting better! Thank you for such a lovely message.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. How did I get to be 43?
ReplyDeleteI suspect your words will resonate with MANY of us who can be called 'senior citizens' ... I'll be 64 in February and on any given day I feel anywhere from 17 to 45 ... seldom older until my aging body 'complains' in various ways. My sister & I often laugh together at family gatherings realizing we're 'the older generation' and we wonder if this is how our aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents felt when they were our age?
ReplyDeleteWe've concluded that they might have ... and we're pretty sure at least some of them (with a twinkle in their eye) knew how to enjoy moments along the way. We've resolved to do the same by living mindfully ourselves. For some reason the Shel Siverstein poem The Little Boy and the Old Man popped into my head ... perhaps because as we grow older we remember the child we were and identify with the children we encounter ... and that's a good thing in my book! Sometimes just asking the question leads us to answers or at least points us in the right direction. Interesting that's the subject of my post at Small Reflections this morning. One thing I know for sure is that I'm happy to be retired ;--)
Hugs and blessings,