New Year's

               


Time

                                                                By Judy

It is the beginning of another new year. I’m not sure what happened to the last year. When I was five, time passed slowly, but it has picked up speed over the years. When I was forty, time moved at a pretty good clip. My hair is now a natural silver shade, and I feel like I am barely hanging on as each day rushes to nighttime. It seemed I used to wait about three years for Christmas to come. Now the period of time from one Christmas to another seems no longer than three short weeks.

Another thing about time I don’t understand is why it passed at a snail’s pace while I was pregnant, but sped by at the speed of sound for a loan payment due at the bank the same day as the baby was due. It seemed, too, the period of time between paydays was shorter than the period of time between house payments.

How come an hour eating a good meal is shorter than an hour cleaning the kitchen? The time waiting on the first snow of the season speeds by faster than the time I spend waiting on the last snow of the season. Time I spend cleaning closets crawls slowly by while time spent shopping or playing bridge moves faster than a speeding train.

 I was happy when all my children learned to tell time as I thought our family would finally get to school or even church on time. Silly me.

“Turn the television off now, it’s time to go,” I announced.

“Wait, I just want to see the end of Tom and Jerry,” a child answered. Speaking of time, does Tom and Jerry ever end?  Hasn’t it been on forever?

“Does anyone know where I left my shoes?” another child asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “Right inside the door. Next time, could you put them to the side of the doorway and not directly in it?” There was not a reply to my question.

At last, though, the family was in the car. Of course, each kid made several trips back to the house. After all, it is hard to get books, coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and gym clothes gathered up and out to the car on the first trip. There was one last trip back to the house for homework. I counted the kids, one, two, three, and four. Yes, it was time to go.

“Wait….” Has anyone seen my car keys?

Apparently time doesn’t change everything. I still often can’t find my car keys.