January 2011

Welcome to the new year, 2011. Can you believe that 2010 is already over? Where did the time go? I don't recall the years passing by so quickly: maybe it was the magic and wonderment of childhood that made the time pass so slowly or it could have been the eagerness to grow up that prevented the days from quickly passing by. It just seems that the faster we want something to happen, the slower it takes. But, whatever it was that made those days linger, I find myself looking for. Maybe, life would slow down if I made a conscious effort NOT to fill each minute of the day with SOMETHING but rather take the time to sit and watch the clouds move across the sky, listen to the birds sing their joyous song, or build sandcastles as the waves crash onto the shore.
One of my resolutions for the new year is to make more time for family. I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood, that I want to make sure that same is true fro Greyson. My fondest memory from my childhood is an even, but rater an action. My dad made a point to stop whatever he was doing: cutting and stacking wood, tilling the garden, putting an addition onto the house, whenever one of us girls asked him to do something with us. He never said, "when I'm finished," or "in a minute." He thought the most important part of his day was spending time with his family. We'd go for walks or bike rides, we'd send summer afternoons at the beach and winter weekends building snowmen and sledding in our backyard. He built us a sandbox (out of rock and mortar) and a swing set (out of scrap iron) so that we could enjoy the pleasures of being a child.
I think it is the realization that in less than three months Greyson will be 4-years-old that has spurred this resolution. No longer a toddler; when did that happen? It is important to me that each day (or at least every other day) inspires a memory that Greyon will carry with him, and when he's grown he will reflect on those moments, and say "I had a wonderful childhood."
When I think about the future I don't think about the things I want in my life, but rather how I want to spend my life. I want to share conversations abut the day over family dinner, then fall asleep next to the man I love. I want to spend weekends strolling through the park or visiting a museum. I want to share with Greyson (and if I'm lucky another child) the ways of the wold so that he can become the best man possible. I want to grow old with the knowledge that when I look back on my life I can smile and know that I lived the best life I could.
Remember, we've all been given a predeermined number of years to live and it is our gift to make the most of thse years.l

In hopes of making good on this resolution I've found my inspiration in a song.

Blink

by Revive

Teach me to number my days

And count every moment before it slips

away

Taking all the colors before they fade to

gray

I don't what to miss even just a second

more of this

It happens in a blink

It happen in a flash

It happens in the time it took to look

back

I try to hold on tight, but there's no

stopping time

What is it I've done with my life

It happens in a blink

When it's all said and done

No one remembers how far we

have run

The only think that matters is how

we have loved

I don't want to miss even just a

second more of this

It happens in a blink

It happens in a flash

It happens in the time it took to look

back

I try to hold on tight but there's no

stopping time

What is it I've done with my life

It happens in a blink

Slow down, slow down

Before today becomes our

yesterday

Slow down, slow down

Before you turn around and it's too

late

It happens in a blink

It happens in a flash

It happens in the time it took to look

back

I try to hold on tight but there's no

stopping time

What is it I've done with my life

It happens in a blink

"I asked God to give me all things that I may enjoy life.

God gave me life that I may enjoy all things."

~Author Unknown