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Fast Times

There’s no news here:  It goes fast.  The kids are growing up, and each year seems to be faster than the last.  I think most of us feel that way.  But lately, I’ve been more aware of time flying by than ever before.  Maybe it’s my oldest heading off to college 2 months ago–or her younger sister starting her own college search this fall–or my youngest starting middle school.  Or maybe it’s my own march into my late 40s?

A couple of weeks ago, my high school junior’s school had a spirit day for the Orioles’ playoff run.  She is not big on fan gear, so when she could not come up with anything orange & black, I had the answer:  in 1995, 3 months before we first had a baby in the house, I went to the game at Camden Yards where Cal Ripken tied Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak at 2,130.  I bought a t-shirt that says, “I WAS THERE!” and decided not to wear it, but to save it for the right time down the road.  It was time:  I dug it out of our keepsake collection, and Ms. 11th Grade was all set for school.

Cal Ripken Streak Game T-shirt

Cal Ripken Streak Game T-shirt

A former student–a rabid O’s fan, now in her early 30s and a Facebook friend–saw my post about this and commented:  “I believe you told me when I wore mine to school the next day, ‘I’m saving it for my kids.’ So, nicely done.”  A warm shared memory, but how in the world has it been 19 years since that game?  And how is my student already a teacher and a mom of two toddlers?

Then a college friend’s birthday showed up on Facebook earlier this week, and he made a comment that had not occurred to me:  His kids are closer to 30 than he is.  I realized this is true for my 2 older kids, as well.  30 is that far away?!  I remember teaching The Great Gatsby when I turned 30 myself, along with Nick Carraway, and the charge of sharing his feeling that “I’m 30.  I’m 5 years too old to lie to myself and call it honor.”  And now my girls are closer to that than I am.

Don’t get me wrong:  I’m not depressed.  I’m not sad.  But I am in awe of how much we’ve done and how quickly the time has passed.  And if I can’t put the breaks on time passing, at least I’ll always have this:  I WAS THERE.

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Filed under Appreciation, College, School, Transitions, Uncategorized