Where does the time go?

I’ve come to the conclusion that as we age, there are fewer and fewer days in a year. My guess is around 220 give or take.

I know I’m not alone in that thought, especially when I talk to family and friends about aging. It happens to all of us. And I know it’s not about counting how many days we have left but how we spend those days that counts. (I may have to copyright that last line).

Let me start by saying that I’m 57. I know some of you who are older and reading this, might be thinking, “Zip it, junior. Wait until you get to be my age.” And that’s a fair comment because I say the same thing when I hear people in their 30s and 40s complaining about getting older or the passage of time.

But something most of us have in common as we age is the inability to remember just how long ago something happened. For me, this occurs when I look at the Memories section of Facebook. There was something I saw today that led me to the column. I could have sworn it was about five or six years ago. Nope, nine. And that’s years. Yesterday was the 25th, which means it’s only five months until Christmas. I don’t know why I act as though I’m surprised as to how fast this year, or any others, go by. But it can be a little depressing.

On July 4, I got the chance to see several of my friends from the BCHS class of 1986, who were celebrating their 40th class reunion. That same day I talked to some of my classmates as we chatted a bit about our 40th next year. The fact that we have been out of school 10 times longer than we were in, definitely hits home. At the time, high school felt like four years but these days, it’s a blink of the eye.

In doing a quick search, I found some quotes about how fast time goes by and how we spend it. Here are a handful from some notable people.

“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.” – John F. Kennedy

“You may delay, but time will not.” – Benjamin Franklin

“Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” – Dale Carnegie

“This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” – Bill Keane

“The future starts today, not tomorrow.” –Pope John Paul II

“Time goes on. So, whatever you’re going to do, do it. Do it now. Don’t wait” – Robert DeNiro

I apologize if I’m coming across as Donny Downer, or Ronny Downer as the case may be. Recently I was given some health-related news. Nothing terrible compared to what so many go through but enough to really start me thinking about my past, present and future. I hear people say, “I have no regrets” when it comes to their past. They’re either lying or I’m simply jealous of that fact. My list of past regrets looks like Santa’s naughty list at Christmas.

A couple of years ago, around the time I turned 55, I realized it’s nice and important to have a few bucks in the bank. But more importantly, I realized that in the end, experiences are worth even more than things. I’ve done a decent job since then in traveling more, saying yes more often and trying to focus on what I have as opposed to what I don’t. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, but necessary. It can mean making minor changes in one’s life or major changes. Right now, my thought process is somewhere in between.

In the quotes I listed above, the one I think hit home the most is the one by Bill Keane, creator of the popular comic strip “Family Circus.” We have to look at today as a gift, regardless if it’s store-bought, handmade or one we plan to return the next day.