They say that time flies. People tell you this as you grow up. Often it is older people telling you how much you have grown. To you, the child, it seems the opposite and sometimes you wonder what they are talking about or why people always seem to say this. They usually have a look of surprise or shock that you have continued to grow. You think this is a little odd. Sometimes you think they are sweet, older folks. The world watches you as you grow and reports on the findings: you're walking, skipping, in school now, so much taller, in middle school, driving!
Now that I am a parent, I find myself and my counterparts reporting our findings. I simply cannot believe my oldest is 10 and my youngest is 5. All are in school. I often reflect, where did the time go? Being a parent is such a learning curve. You don't know what you don't know. You learn and figure things out by asking others, listening to others, reading, by trial and error. When you think you have figured things out, things change again and you don't know what you don't know again. I remember a preschool teacher telling me, as my child was running wild and I was frantically trying to control him, "This too shall pass." I didn't really know what she meant, but she was right. Things that seem difficult usually seem to pass. The trials though, are often wonderful, even when they seem tough at the time. I remember my son eating constantly and then spitting up. At the time I had so many worries about this, but he was fine. Now I can laugh about how much he ate.
Conversely, happy, glorious times also pass. Now that my parents and grandparents have passed on, I frequently recall times that I didn't realize would pass so soon...family gatherings with my parents and grandparents, Holidays, birthdays, calling when I needed advice. I remember thinking that people in their 40's were old. Ha. This too shall pass.
