Before You Know It..........

When I was young and I would ask my Daddy a questions about time, his answer was always "Before you know it".  As I get older I have realized that is one of the most profound things he ever told me.  We would be driving somewhere and I would ask - "when will we be there?"  - his answer would always be.....before you know it.  When my boys were young they would ask "When will it be mornin time?" -- before you know it....one of my favorite memories - I can still hear their tinly little voices.  That became our ritual with their prayers and tuck in.  When I asked one of the boys last night if they remembered this, it hit me that this one statement is so prophetic and just a good no nonsense piece of advice

When will I be all grown up?  When will it be Christmas?  When will I get married? 
When will my children be grown?
When will I be old and gray?

When we are young, adults always tell us to enjoy every minute because time passes so quickly and you must make the most of the present.  It seems like just yesterday, I was young with babies in my arms - 4 sweet little boys and I blinked my eyes and they were graduating and grown and it truly seemed like it was before I knew it!"  Don't waste time hanging out in the past or dwelling there --- nothing good can come of it.  Try not to waste time worrying about the future because tomorrow it will be here and you will have lost time in the present worrying about it.  Live each day to the fullest - find the good in it and count your blessings - even though some days they may be hard to find.  As my hubby always says age is a high price to pay for maturity but we don't have to wait until we are old to enjoy it.  All of this sounds like so much trite advice and just cheery nonsense but it is more true than we know.

All of this came to me when I was mulling over the fact that I had been in the throws of this illness for at least 20 years....wow 20 years - I have let it define me and let it push me to let life pass me by.  There is no excuse for it and it is my fault -- no one elses - sort of a subconscious decision - not one I have made with thought or intent.  Well - we all have to be present in our lives and along with the daily fight remember that you have to take time to live your life and make most of it.  Make decisions with living in mind - not submission.  Poke the bear, smile, laugh and enjoy because no matter what we do, good or bad......it will all pass us by Before you know it!