This post was most recently updated on May 18th, 2015
When I was a kid, I often heard this expression but never really understood what it meant. Now that I’m an adult, and especially a parent, I am keenly aware of the rapid passing of time.
This week we celebrated my youngest son’s first birthday. And I swear to you it was only a couple of months ago that he arrived. I cannot wrap my head around the idea that an entire year has passed, even when presented with irrefutable evidence. And since I share my life on Facebook (and every major event therein), word of the Week of Seeley spread – causing most of my friends to say the same thing … “No way! How can it be that it’s been a year already?”
In addition to the first birthday festivities, Halloween is almost upon us – another big deal in our house. Not that we decorate or party down, or even have trick or treaters … we’re too far out in the middle of nowhere for them to show up. But I take a lot of pride in making costumes for my kids and taking them trick or treating in town – even walking in the village “Spooks and Goblins” Parade every year. In fact, we haven’t missed a year yet. It’s probably pretty lame to a lot of people, but it’s our big Halloween hurrah. Anyhoo – every year, I vow to get the costumes planned by August and completed by the end of September. And I used to be able uphold that vow with no problem. The past few years, though, it seems like I’m scrambling at the last minute gluing, sewing and frantically trying to get them finished. Unfortunately, this year is no exception and I blame the calendar. I’m absolutely positive there have been quite a few skipped months in 2013. I’m not sure which ones, but I think at least 4 or 5 just blipped right off the calendar, leaving me with a terribly short year in which to do my stuff.
I know I’m going to wake up in the morning and it will be Thanksgiving – or Christmas … or possibly Halloween 2014. And I want to make sure I can actually remember what has happened between now and then. That’s part of the reason I started this blog (and several others … I have a wide variety of interests that I’m trying to document) and the memory jar. I also started photographing EVERYTHING – every event, every season, every tiny little milestone. I chronicle my life on Facebook, which might be annoying to my friends, but it sure helps me have a record of being in the moment, even when I don’t remember the moment itself. It’s not that I’m getting senile or forgetful – it’s just that time is going so quickly, I’m afraid I’m going to miss something. I should have paid more attention to what Ferris Bueller tried to tell me, obviously.
In my quest to keep memories and moments preserved, I have found I need to be careful not to rely on the photos, status posts and blog entries to enjoy them. I really want to savor the fun times, the growing times, the special moments in my life as well as those in the lives of my kids, my husband and my friends and family. Which sometimes takes a little more effort because in my rush to make the costumes, take the pictures and document every detail – maybe I’m not fully present in the moment. And that’s really my struggle – balancing the making memories happen with the enjoyment of the moment itself.
I took a lot of pictures of my baby’s big day. I made his special cake, wrapped his presents and posted special moments from the day for all to see. But I also sat with him and studied his little face, talked to him and played with him. Talked with my husband and other kids about how much he’s changed over the past year, how he’s added so much to our lives and how wonderful it is to have him in our family. I really spent a lot of time thinking about his new teeth, how he’s walking now, the things he’s saying and how fun his personality is. I came away from the day with a lot of documentation for posterity … and some very sweet memories that I can look back on and smile over, even though it will seem like only another moment has passed and he’ll be turning into a teenager like his big brother. Because time really does fly.
