“I just don’t have enough time.”  As a child, time was one thing we seemed to have an abundance of. We waited for Christmas, for birthdays and of course the last day of school to start our summer holidays. Time just seemed to drag on and on. We wanted time to hurry so we could drive a car, finish school, start a career, travel or whatever.

As a young mother I made the error of telling mom once that I just didn’t seem to have enough time to get everything done. That is when she reminded me that a washing machine washed the clothes, a dryer did the drying, a machine washed my dishes and if I needed bread, a bread maker could make a couple of loaves. I was reminded of a generation that got up with the sun and had chores to do before walking a couple of miles to school and then more chores when they came home. How mom and her sister cried at harvest time when they had to stook the crops by hand as the boys were too little to help. She also told me of a time when our children will grow up and leave home and that I would wish that I had a little more time with them. That as we grow older, time will seem to go faster. 

Of course, at that time I had my doubts. Some days were harder than ever especially when the little ones got sick. When the days just seemed to get shorter and the list of commitments for the family got longer. That was when I could hardly wait for the oldest one to get her license, so she could drive the other two around to their dance classes, swimming lessons, to their friends’ house and maybe pick up some groceries occasionally. 

And then it happened. Before we knew it all three girls were grown up, finished university or secondary school left home and even the province. We were empty nesters and just as mom said time had gone way too fast.

But one thing this last couple of months have given me is time that has once again slowed down. In the early days of the pandemic outbreak I worked from home. I marveled at the silence. That the sun rose earlier in the sky and I was able to enjoy it as I went for an early morning walk in the neighborhood. I could hear the birds in the trees and my footsteps as I walked on the sidewalk.  A time to reflect, to marvel and just relish in the time of being, an opportunity to just enjoy the moment. 

Wishing everyone to stay safe and enjoy this time.