Sunday, April 15, 2007

Don't Wish Your Life Away

I just added a countdown timer to my blog (yeah me for figuring it out!). I'm clearly counting down the days until Summer Vacation (no school, no packing lunches, no homework for Ten and Twelve, and no work for me, unless I work summer school...but I won't think of that right now). I can't seem to wait until this school year from h*ll is over. And believe me...it can't be over soon enough. Which brings me to the point of this blog...

When I was younger, I couldn't wait for my birthday to come (unlike now, when I really can wait, and wait, and wait...I mean hey, who's in a rush to get older?...certainly not me!). Back then, I would wish that the months, weeks and days would rush by so that the big day would get there ASAP. My parents used to tell me to enjoy life and not to wish my life away. At the time all I heard coming from their mouths was "blah blah blah blah".

I think that my parents were trying to tell me to enjoy my youth...because before I'd know it, I would be older with many more responsibilities, and the freedom of youth would be just a memory. I think that they didn't want me to hurry up and grow up. That would mean that they were hurrying up and getting older (at some point that loses its allure). But to me as a kid... that was the whole point. I would have a birthday, get presents, grow older and become more independent.

Now I am older (not necessarily wiser, but definitely older) and I notice that some days, weeks, months seem to just fly by. I mean, how is it already the middle of April 2007...wasn't it just turning 2000 and everyone was worrying about Y2K? Time certainly has started to move more quickly...sometimes rushing by at supersonic speed. Unless I am having a crummy day at work...then it seems to slow down to a snail's pace. This extraordinarily stressful school year has slowed down to a snail's crawl. And I find myself wishing for it to hurry up and be over.

So this morning, I decided to put a countdown ticker on my blog. One that will help me visualize how soon this school year will be over. I just can't help it...As much as I would like to stop and smell the roses...I am ready for the stress of my job to be done...at least until next year. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to wish my life away...I just want certain aspects of my life to hurry up...I guess I want all of the good and none of the bad, but can you really blame me? Do you ever catch yourself wishing your life away?

15 comments:

Joan said...

OK...do you need me to loan you my retirement countdown clock? I found that when I had a particularly upsetting moment at work, I'd hurry to my desk, look at my clock and then feel a heck of a lot better. I never once felt that I was wishing my entire life away...only my miserable working life.

Patti said...

I don't want any more birthdays either. I try really hard not to wish my life away. Time goes by way too fast as it is. (Tempus fugit)
Not that I always succeed, but I try to enjoy as much as I can each day.

P.S. to Joan: I would think if you went to all the trouble to become a librarian, that would be your chosen field.
I was surprised to read above that it was your "miserable working life."

Joan said...

Patti: Like most jobs, being a librarian had its ups and downs through the years. Unfortunately, the last few years were miserable (thanks to a few inept managers and administrators) and I'm afraid those years have clouded my memories of the good times.

meno said...

blah blah blah is pretty much all i ever heard from my parent's mouths when i was a child.

And i think that's what my daughter hears too. You think i would have developed a better vocabulary by now.

Renee Nefe said...

I don't think it's bad to wish something that is making your miserable away.

Although now days I'm pretty particular about what I wish away. I put the tickers on my blog to scare the procrastination out of me to get things done.

Thanks for the beautiful song...much better than the one my Brother & SIL called and sang into our answering machine...happy birthday to the tune of "ba da bump, ba da bump, ba da bump bump bump." Was that the tune to the Lone Ranger? whatever, it was pretty bad. LOL

She had a great day and got a new bike.

Patti said...

Joan, sorry to read that lousy managers ruined the last years of your career.

Marshamlow said...

Another perspective might be that you aren't wishing your life away, instead you are focusing you attention on the aspects of your life which bring you joy. Which might be a better idea than living in the moment if the moment happens to be not such a good moment.

jaded said...

I read this last night. Look at the second paragraph carefully it has a great theory about why we perceive the passage of time to fly as we get older. I wish that I had been able to deduce that one on my own.

Like many, I misspent my youth. I may be unable to reclaim it in its original context, but I believe it is worth the futile attempt, provided no one has to go the emergency room.

Lynn said...

Joan - I don't think that retirement clocks go for that long. (sigh)

Patti - I thinkg that we both probably want many more birthdays...just not so soon.

Meno - I believe that you have a great vocabulary. Something just gets lost in the parent/child translator.

Renee - Good point...it is ok to wish for the bad things to be over...that doesn't mean that we are wishing for the good things to be over.

Marsha - I really like the idea of "focusing your attention on the aspects of your life which bring you joy". I may have to make signs to put up at each of my schools.

Patches - Wow. Now I do feel really old. It's been a long time since I've really lived in the moment. I think that is something that I will need to sit and think about.

Ralph said...

Ever notice that when you are younger, you were always ready to add a 1/2 year to your age when a grown-up or older kid?

As for me, I had always heard anout the dreaded '3-0'...When I became 30, that was the best birthday to that time ever (I met the First Officer), and all have been better than the last one since that time.

Age is relative. Really, we know some people younger than us who think and act OLD! You don't write old...

Ralph said...

PS: I meant to say that you added a 1/2 year to your age when asked by a grown-up or older kid

(I guess you lose your editing abilities as you age?)

sari said...

While I know every person is different, I try not to count down to anything...I don't think I live enough "in the minute" and I don't want to wake up and find out my kids are grown and gone and moved away.

Though...counting down the days until summer vacation is a good thing - then you're all home, together.

;-)

Lynn said...

Ralph - Yes, I remember always adding 1/2 a year 3/4 of a year to my age when I was younger. Now I watch Ten and Twelve do it. When did Kid One and Kid Two stop adding the extra portions of the year?...or do they still do it? At my age, on the day before a big birthday ie: 30 or 40...I've maintained that I was "barely in my 20's or 30's...(thanks to my brother in law).

Sari - I know that I should try to live more in the minute. I can't seem to stop myself from worrying about things that haven't even happended yet. I guess that's something for me to work towards. Let me know if you are able to master "living in the moment"...maybe you'll share how you do it :~D

armalicious said...

I used to wish my life away. And I'm always counting things down. My husband thinks that doing that makes is less fun once it happens. Like I'm building myself up and then it's not as good as I'm expecting it to be. Sometimes it's true. But sometimes, I think the excitement leading up to the event makes it more fun.

Lynn said...

Arm - I agree...sometimes the journey to get somewhere is better than the actual destination.