IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE

Recently I attended a wedding and marveled how much the little kids grew into adults. I hadn’t seen them for a number of years and when I did it took me by surprise. Then I looked at the Dad and then the Mom and realized, they too surprised me, and they are getting old!

I took leave of the reception table and went to the men’s room and looked in the mirror and realized I didn’t know the guy in the mirror! How could I, when he allowed these people to get older and yet these are the same eyes I always have? They are deceiving me or playing tricks on me, and I could see that I got old too!

As I looked I could hear and see them gathered around my table one morning as they visited for an overnight stay and I cooked them breakfast, the chatter was not discernable because it happened so long ago, but the faces were still fresh and young and in need of attention. Then I realized my own children were adults too, one married and expecting his child away from our home, and I never stopped to realize all this was happening!

Tevye was right! I don’t remember growing older, when did they?

If you talk to someone about an event that seems like it was yesterday, only to realize it was in 1983, that is a shocker, something I am never prepared for, yet it pulls the rug from under me!

I remember once in high school thinking ahead, and wondering what it would be like in the year 2000. Well hello. It is 2013, and I never stopped to look at 2000! Then I realized that there must be some meaning to all this.

The meaning? I’m not sure, but I think it goes something like this:

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
― Sophia Loren

And this:

“It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone.”
― Andy Rooney

I can ascribe to both senses, because they are true.