Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The Speed of Life........

 

 

 

“I've heard that it's possible to grow up - I've just never met anyone who's actually done it. Without parents to defy, we break the rules we make for ourselves. We throw tantrums when things don't go our way, we whisper secrets with our best friends in the dark, we look for comfort where we can find it, and we hope - against all logic, against all experience. Like children, we never give up hope...” ~ Meredith Grey - Grey's Anatomy

        

       When I was a little girl the most pressing items of my day were what kind of sandwich to have for lunch, being allowed to watch a TV show, or what book to take out of the library. Recently a number of things have happened that have been sharp reminders that I am no longer that little girl. It doesn't matter what these things are. If you ask anyone who knows what I'm talking about, they would have a million different examples that could fit the bill. They're the things that bring us up short, make us catch our breath, and throw us completely for a loop. The things that make you view yourself in the mirror and say "When did I become the adult?" 
      When we're young, we spend so much time wishing to be older, to make all of our own decisions, be completely on our own. What we neglected to realize is that these decisions would be so much more difficult than baloney or PB & J; that being on your own sometimes means just that. You have to take the good with the bad of being an adult. We have to accept that there will be mistakes made, disappointments from others (and ourselves), illness, and even death. I'm 36 years old and I cannot change that. I can't reverse direction or time; none of us can. There is no way to prevent any of it from happening. The only way to prevent it is to stop living completely. So for now I will not wish the train to stop, only to slow down, for the scenery to go by slower, and for all passengers to stay on the journey with me.

"Stop This Train" - John Mayer

No I'm not color blind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind but...
I just can't sleep on this tonight
Stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly won't someone stop this train

Don't know how else to say it, don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't but honestly won't someone stop this train

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game to find a way to say that life has just begun
Had a talk with my old man
Said help me understand
He said turn 68, you'll renegotiate
Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
Don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we'll never stop this train

See once in a while when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark.

Singing stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take this speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train

10 comments:

  1. I agree that I'd like to slow it down sometimes, but the only way we can is to live in the moment. So much easier said than done, for sure.

    As I'm days away from 61 (guess that means I'm heading into the 'beyond')I try harder all the time to just savor the moments.

    One of my fave John Mayer songs, btw!

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  2. @ Barbara -

    a.) Savoring the moments has become my new motto....it's something I so wish we could teach to the young, when it needs to be appreciated the most.

    b.) I don't believe 61 for a second but I'm thrilled you were willing to share your age as it is something to be celebrated!

    c.) John Mayer is a must on my iPod. The live version of this song (see link) is one of my absolute favorites.

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  3. I can still remember when I celebrated my 21st birthday.....now I will be 41 next month! Where did the time go? Not that I'm dreading getting older...I just feel like there's more I still need to accomplish.

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  4. @ Jackie - I felt the same way about things. That's why I said it's now or never on starting my book....there's no time like the present to make a change!

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  5. Adrienne,
    For me the hardest part of "adulthood" is retaining the ability to see the world through the eyes of a child. Observing my grand daughters observe their world is a refresher course though.
    rel

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  6. @ rel - Very true....in today's world it can be very difficult to remain a kid at heart. Observing children and their innocence can do a lot for our spirit....

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  7. We cannot go back, cannot change direction but we can enjoy every crazy minute of it.

    Thanks for stopping by on my SITS Day!

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  8. @ trininista - Agreed - we all need to just keeping moving ahead and enjoy life as much as possible..every last second!

    Congratulations on your SITS day!
    Very exciting....love to see that kind of support from people...Keep writing! :)

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  9. I always thought it was strange when my mother would say that she didn't feel "old" and yet that is what I saw when I looked at her. Now I know how she feels. ;) I think we often feel like we are still that young girl, maybe not a child, but maybe a young woman?

    When events in your life are jarring to that sensibility it can be so difficult, but I hope we can still always keep some of that youthful spirit alive!

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  10. @Brenna - Isn't it sad that this is the way youth tend to view anyone over 30? I read something once that said after a certain age people (no matter if they are 40 or 80) tend to view themselves in their minds the way they looked when they were 25. Sounds good to me.... :

    Here's to youthful spirit!

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