How do I have a child that’s 50, when I am only 50 myself?
This is what she looks like in my mind…
So it happened this past weekend, my oldest(thank goodness) child turned 50! I really don’t know how this happened and where the time has gone. I just turned 50 myself. I remember it well, my kids had a wonderful 50th birthday surprise party for me. It was just last year, wasn’t it? It sure feels like it was. I remember the day Shelly was born and that a day afterward, it was Mother’s Day and I celebrated it in the hospital. But really, how did this happen?
This recent turn of events has caused me to do some thinking on how quickly time passes and how we don’t have endless days and years here on this earth. We need to do, say and be all that we want, when we want or miss the opportunity to do so. Our children grow up, our grandkids grow up and we can’t change that or stop time. There are days when I am with them and suddenly it hits me and I think to myself.. “right now, this moment, I would like to freeze this moment and stay in it forever.”
There are always times in your life which cause you to reflect. When the kids graduate from high school or college, when they marry, when they turn certain ages. But the age thing I think are always, at least for me, a time for reflecting the most. When they turned 16 was one of those times, then 21 and 30 and so on. But 50! Come on, I just can’t even.
Shelly in her much hated Danskin outfit and the also much hated Poodle curtains behind her.(she was scared of them)
Remember when we were kids and it seemed like it took forever for our birthdays to roll around? Now I have one and it is no sooner over and there is another one coming so quickly I barely get the gifts put away from the first. Well I may have exaggerated a bit here but you get the gist of what I’m saying. Time flies by. My oldest grandson will be 14 this year and I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. In fact I think it was yesterday..
I remember my Mom telling me all of this and her acting all weepy sometimes about our gatherings for birthdays and holidays and how she wanted us all together. She wanted pictures and we all had to be there or we would suffer her endless reminders of how we didn’t show up for the much anticipated get together or event. I didn’t quite understand her angst then, but now “I get it.”
But back to the subject at hand…my child turning 50! Because this is what I am ranting about. I enjoyed my 50’s immensely. It was one of my better decades. My kids were all grown and living on their own(for the most part, occasionally one would drift back in for a time). I was in good shape physically and had a lot of stamina. I was even riding a bike for 20-30 miles at a time. I had a lot of fun those years as well. What happened to that person? I feel the same inside but the outside isn’t communicating to well with the inside. I remember those times vividly and fondly. So I hope the 50’s decade is a good one for my daughter, I hope she enjoys these years and remembers them with as much joy as I do.
My daughter is not just my daughter, she is also my friend. Being so close in age and having gone through all we went through to get this point in life has created a bond which I know will last forever. She is funny, smart, loving and a total music freak. Seriously, she absolutely loves music. One of the many things we share is that love of music and we go to a lot of concerts together. We love the beach and go as often as we can. We both love sitting on a beach where there is not a soul around us and just enjoy the view and sea air. Sadly for us, most of the time on these empty beautiful beaches a family of ten comes by and pitches their tent right beside our chairs…Another thing we share is a love of shopping but that isn’t always a good thing. We are not good for each other as we encourage the other to buy. But we do have fun. We always have fun!
Shelly and I in Outer Banks
And so I wish for her to have 50 more years to go to concerts and for me to be able to go with her. I can only hope!
I leave you as always with a question and a quote.
What are your thoughts on your children growing older, turning, 16, 21 or 50??
“The relationship between parents and children, but especially between mothers and daughters, is tremendously powerful, scarcely to be comprehended in any rational way.” – Joyce Carol Oates
and this one just for the fun of it…and because it made me laugh.
“Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty, and sometimes attract pests.” ~Author Unknown
Hi Helpful Helion,
I know Carolann! I love this post. It brings to light how badly we treat older people in our society. I teach about Japan and China. Older people are respected. Age = wisdom there. Here age = weakness. Thanks for trying to help the plight of the aged.
Janice
Thanks for your comments Janice! You are right, some other countries really value the wisdom of the older generation. Wish ours did!
It’s incredible how quickly the times goes. When I look at both my kids, I can’t believe how fast the time went! I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Carolann, wait until you have grand children, it goes even faster…
I agree – where does the time go? Seems like yesterday that I was holding my baby boys & thinking to myself & getting teary-eyed, ‘Before I know it, they’ll be driving!’ Wow! In the blink of an eye and there ya go, it happened. Now I have a granddaughter who is of age to drive! Thank Heaven she doesn’t – not yet! There are way too many things that I worry about & have no control over. They say ‘stop worrying’! That’s not possible. I can remember when I was my son’s age & it certainly doesn’t seem that long ago! I now understand the ‘Oh, how time flies’ statement! 🙂
Exactly Dinah! It goes faster every year…
Like you,as a child I remember hearing my parents talk about “how time flies” and never understanding. It seemed as if I would never be “old enough” to do all the things I wanted to do. And, then it all changed. Now it seems as if so much as gone by in a blink of an eye. I don’t “feel” that much older, but when I look at my children and grandchildren it is hard to deny that time is passing.
Cheri, You are right, it is hard to deny it! But we still look darn good! And Thanks for your comments!
Mine will turn 49 next month and I’m LIKE…WTH??? Even he is panicking, hahaha. 20 yrs difference in our ages, but I still act YOUNG like him. My how time FLIES kiddo. But we are lucky in that our children LOVE US so much, right? And you and Shelly are more like best friends, so thats awesome. LOVE YAS BOTH.
Aw, thanks Susie! We are both blessed with our kids and grands!
Yes our kids and grandchildren grow up so fast. My daughter will be fifty next year and my grandsons will be 15 and 20 years old in the next 2 months and I can not believe it.
Their birthdays make me feel the time flying by more so than my birthday, because I still remember so clearly all three as babies and toddlers. We do have to enjoy and hold every moment
we have with them. Happy Birthday Shelly my your 50th year be wonderful!!!
Renee, your glowing with love for your kids and their love for you.
Thanks Donna, I remember them all as babies! It sure seems like yesterday when we were taking the girls to the Y!
I feel this way right now! Time is moving so quickly. My middle daughter is graduating this year and I can’t believe. I just graduated. Great post!
Thank you! And you are so right, time goes by quicker every year!
I just turned fifty this year too. I think it was when I turned 40 that my mom exclaimed “wow you are old!” (which I guess was more toward herself than me)
Yes, I’m sure….just you wait till you are old like us Moms and Grandma’s….
The third of four just turned 40, the oldest of 12 grand-children is 17. I feel your pain. I remember my grandmother saying that the older you get, the faster time seems to go, until the seasons seem to be a blur. I’m there, grandma, I’m there.
Oh yes, I so agree with your Grandma! And I am there too! Thank you for commenting…
Yes I am 50! How and when did that happen?? I believe in my heart that I just turned 30! So many memories and many more to come. Thanks Mom. And why are those scary curtains in this blog??
I was waiting for that…I knew you would hate the curtains…I didn’t think I had a picture of them but sure enough there they are. 2 things you hate in one picture!