Think About It. Curiosity. At the Senior Center recently, two of the bridge ladies agreed that time passes more swiftly these days. Naturally I wondered why. Since they had no ready answer I asked a few questions between hands.
Young people seem to be impatient for the future when they’ll be strong enough or old enough or better prepared to do the things they wish. Were the two card players looking forward to something desired? Their answers were no. Admittedly a small anecdotal sampling, but I submit valid none the less.
Romans in the early days, actually very early days, before they reset the calendars from B.C to A.D., had things to say on the subject. You will remember Tempus fugit, usually literally translated as” Time flies.”, especially when you’re having fun. The original phrase was Fugit inreparable tempus. You can see that, loosely interpreted, it means you can’t get it back once it’s spent, implying that folks our age are getting closer to running out of it.
For the young on whom it is said that youth is wasted, the Latin is Carpe diem. We say “Seize the day”, licentiously offering, “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may”. With early upbringing as a PK, you know, the son of a church pastor, I was a peaceful fellow and perhaps the sissy I was called by the more physically active boys (read bullies). I very much looked forward to the day when words would provide the power.
Interestingly, even in our senior state, some of us don’t sense the rapidly increasing speed of the forced march. As they say, “So much to do, so little time.”Perhaps I should admit that for me it’s “So much to say, so little time.”My thought has long been that I’ll probably be around another day because I have so much stuff to do tomorrow.
There is the fact that seasons affect us. We react to Winter as children do their state. Everything slows down while we wait for snow to thaw and Spring to clear our sidewalks. Some describe us as aged, elderly, senior citizens. If a title is really needed, I take pride in being a seasoned citizen. That condition derives in large part from an insatiable desire to see the changes in technology at its rapidly increasing pace. Maybe, like children we should feel comfortable asking questions. We surely don’t think we know it all. Do we?
Sure, the early Italians were on to something, and the ladies outplaying John and me were among the majority in their reckoning of time. It may be all those things, but if medical science, good food and the love of those near continue, I will attribute my longevity to the secret for me, Curiosity. Think About It.