Where has time gone?
Our oldest graduated from high school and is preparing for what comes next for him in the fall. We anticipate him living on his own and officially leaving the nest, at least for the time being.
At his graduation ceremony I tried to wrap my head around how fast time had gone. When he was born, time seemed to go sooooooo slow. When would he nap? When could we move to the next activity and break up the monotony? How much longer would we be at the park? Or on a walk? When would I talk to another adult about something other than my child? When would I get my body back? Etc.
Time, of course, started to go faster, at least a little, as my son grew, and became more independent—able to dress himself, get himself into the car and more. Time still seemed slower, but faster than it previously was.
When he went to middle school time picked up noticeably, until COVID hit, and it felt like we were back in the early parenting days when time moved like molasses.
In high school, COVID still slowed things but as it lifted time started speeding up. Him getting his drivers license and having more freedom really accelerated time. The last two years a blur. I can remember clearly the permanence of parenthood setting in when he was a few weeks old, and how fleeting the next 18 years had gone by.
It's a bittersweet feeling. You've raised your child, your main role and responsibilities over. And, we've raised our child and our main role and responsibilities over.
This is a transition for sure, and I'm working to take it all in. Where we've been, where we are, and what comes next. I'd love to slow time, but it's out of my hands. I'm hopeful we've given our son roots with wings, so he flies and wants to spend time with mom and dad in the future.
What milestones are going (or have gone) through? How do you view time?
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