Something's Coming

As I was driving in my car the other day, I came to the realization that in less than a month, my oldest is going to kindergarten.  We will enter a whole new world as school calendars and schedules will suddenly run our lives.  Every day we will wait out by the bus stop, which conveniently resides about 50 yards from my front door.  I’m not going to sit here and say something like, “it feels like yesterday that I was changing his diaper” though.  In some ways, it seems like it’s been a while since the picture above was taken.

People have been telling me since before my son was born that time flies.  I’ve pretty much taken them at their word, they’re generally older and wiser than me.  There is an intentionality with which life seems to be lived in anticipation of time’s fast progression.  My son will turn six this year and I feel like we’ve had some pretty good times together since he was born.

While I won’t say that I felt that the years went slowly, I don’t feel like I’ve blinked since he was born.  Much has happened in my life since then.  We’re in a new state.  I’m in a new job.  I’m almost done with a second Master’s degree.  My mom is no longer with us.  I have 2 additional children.  Life just isn’t the same anymore, and that’s okay.

I heeded the advice of those wise ones who had forewarned me about the flight of time, but they didn’t warn me that with each subsequent child, it seems to fly by faster.  As I think about my son starting kindergarten and turning 6, it seems a little bit more believable than the fact that my daughter will turn 1 next month and my other son will turn 4 two days before.  I guess the more of you there are the more time is spread out and the fast it seems to go.

I have constantly had to remind myself of time’s fleeting progression, especially when my patience runs thin.  When I am  called out from my studying or from enjoying  a movie and beckoned to join one of my boys in their beds, I remind myself that there will be a day when they won’t be so willing to cuddle with their dad or even be seen with me.

Kindergarten awaits and time doesn’t stop.  There’s nothing I can do to slow down the clock, but I can do my best to be intentional about the moments that I have.  Instead of complaining that time flies, I think I’m just going to go hug my kids, tell them how much I love them, and take advantage of whatever comes our way today.  Tomorrow’s a new day with new opportunities, but for now, I’m just going to focus on today.  In fact, I think I’ll take advantage of the fact that I can play “Life’s a Happy Song” on my computer as I type and it will act as a digital Pied Piper, inviting my children to come and sit on my lap as we sing along and laugh.