Where Did the Time Go?

This month our social media timelines are filled with pictures of school age children, high school and college students returning to school after exciting vacations and summer breaks. Many parents are posting pictures of high school seniors juxtapose to their infant, early childhood and elementary school pictures. These posts are filled with joy and congratulatory remarks regarding their student’s growth and success. Yet, many parents expressed a sense that their children had grown up seemingly overnight and without notice.

In my own family, our oldest son has completed college and graduate school, married, and expecting our first grandson. Our younger son has moved into his own apartment and no longer lives at home. Our daughter recently graduated from graduate school and has taken a job in a new city. We are truly empty nesters and the question that comes to mind is, Where Did the Time Go?

It has been said, “Time Waits for No One…”  While this is a statement of truth, there are seasons in our lives where it seems time is standing still. When we are busy birthing and raising children, building our careers, and completing our education, it can appear that time is waiting patiently for us to complete the task at hand. When in fact, time is forever moving at the speed of light. We are just too busy to notice.

We do not notice the children changing, our parents aging and our hair graying. But something happens or we come to a critical moment and suddenly we are made aware that our sons have beards, our daughters have breasts, our parents are forgetting important things and it requires more time for us to get out of bed. These are the effects of time. It happens despite our awareness and without our permission.

In my book, Harmonize Your Life: A Journey Toward Self-Care, I encourage readers to make time for the things that are connected to their purpose and the people who matter most. We only have a limited space in time to live, love, laugh and enjoy our spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends. When we learn to cherish time, we can create a harmonious flow in our lives and maximize the time we have been given.

Time is one of our most precious commodities. As we continue to peruse our timelines and celebrate the milestones created by our children, may we constantly question our use of time, make necessary adjustments, and use our time wisely.

Blessings….

Dr. Toni