I recently had a birthday. They seem to come around more often these days. I'm officially NOT young anymore. There ain't no way around it.
To rephrase the words of Sammy Hagar: "I can't BE 55!"
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| Me at one year of age, circa 1960 |
How did it happen? One minute I am 16, going to my church sweetheart banquet, the next I am wondering where these extra 30 (or 40 or 50) pounds came from. My kids are grown and I am middle-aged. Wasn't it just yesterday when I was a young mother with babies? And a couple of days ago that I was a young bride?
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| My first grade school picture, circa 1965. |
Where did the time go? And wait, can't I rewind, or at least pause?
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| Newlyweds, 1980. |
When you are raising children the days sometimes seem very long. As a young mother I rose early to get ready for work, fixed breakfast and dressed my young children, took them to daycare and school, went to work, picked them up from school, ran them to and from their activities, cooked and fed them dinner, helped with homework, and then bathed and put them to bed. The days were long indeed. But all of a sudden it was over. They grew up without me looking.
Now I spend my evenings wondering where the years went.
Someone once said about raising children: "The days are long but the years are short."
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| With my children in 1996, on vacation in Colorado. |
I understand now. It is so true. I can hardly watch videos of my children growing up without getting all choked up with tears.
I can still hear their little voices while they played or when they called to me. I can still hear their joyful laughter.
Maybe this is why grandchildren are so precious to their grandparents. I don't know about that yet, but if the Lord is willing and wishes to bless me in that way, someday I may find out.
In the meantime, I will remind young parents that the days are long but the years are short. They won't listen. I didn't. But they will remember when their children are grown. And they will have these bittersweet feelings as well.
It's the circle of life. It's meant to be.
But nobody ever said it would be easy.
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| Me on the far left with my son Matthew, new son-in-law Bryan, daughter Natalie, daughter-in-law Taylor, and husband Jimmy, 2012. |
Even though my joints profess their age quite loudly sometimes, it still seems impossible. I can't BE 55!
XOXO
Labels: 55, aging, getting older, Sammy Hagar
