It starts when we are born; record the minute, hour, day and year of our arrival. No doubt our mothers were counting down from nine months to the ETA! Tick tock goes the clock or maybe the Smartphone these days to keep track of time for us. From feeding time to nap time, to pre-school and then off to the big school. Schedules rule our lives as parents juggle work and home life balance. As we hit adulthood, it doesn’t get any easier with trains and buses to catch, appointments to keep and promises not to be late for that all-important family event. Time is precious but rules our lives on many occasions.
This month’s special milestone birthday prompted me to ponder our love-hate relationship with age and time. As you get older, it is a reminder that time may not be on your side and that I better get on with it before it’s too late. I berate myself for not getting more done during the COVID lockdown, but it was such a weird time and space for so many of us. It slowed time for us and removed those things that steal our precious time away. Maybe I should count my blessings instead of the hours and make the most of each day pursuing my passions. Instead of counting the years, I should take stock of the wisdom and knowledge I have accumulated over many years. But that birthday present of a guitar given to me by my husband ten years ago is taunting me from its spot leaning against the lounge room wall. So maybe I better book those lessons now!