Today has been a day for nostalgic memories. I went to Santa Fe in my brand new car (a Toyota Prius) with my wonderful husband, and we marveled at all the changes along the highway and how far Albuquerque now stretches. I reminded him of the big anniversary I was celebrating today. Exactly 50 years ago tonight, I walked across the stage in the gymnasium at Highland High School and received my diploma! I can't believe it's been that long ago. But I look around at all the changes in the world and all the technology accomplishments since that night and I'm astounded at how much as transpired on this old planet.
This morning before we left, I saw the obituary of a classmate from that long ago class of 1957 and it reminded me again of how many others have left us since graduation. Standing on the school lawn for photos with my family that night, I couldn't think 50 years into the future. I was on the brink of my 18th birthday and the whole world lay ahead of me. Projecting 50 years ahead was more than my young mind could imagine.
If I could tell this year's class of 2007 anything at all it would be they should not be too anxious to have time pass. I remember when I was little how the months moved by so slowly. It seemed forever between birthdays, and Christmas was always something in the distant future. Of course from the perspective of someone who has only been alive 8 or 9 years, I guess it really is a long stretch. But children and young adults can't imagine the dizzying pace at which time speeds by once they've passed some of the milestones of life...graduation, college, starting your career, marriage, starting a family, buying your first home. All the "firsts" in life seem so far away and we long to be grown up and taken seriously.
But before you know it, you've achieved those milestones and it's just about living. And then you begin to see the first of the obituaries of your classmates. At first, they happen infrequently, but before long, it becomes a more regular occurrence.
I don't know about you, but crazy as it sounds, one of the more unsettling things is when the movie stars and celebrities of your youth start to pass away. You dread those announcements on the evening news that tell you another old favorite has left this world. Somehow my world seemed more intact when we still had people like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Stewart, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland. Then there was Elvis. Good Grief! How could he be gone so soon! He was my fan crush as a teenager.
The thing is, I know there is no point in trying to convince the young that they will one day look back and regret they wished time to speed up. There is simply no frame of reference and no life experience to help them know this. They can listen politely as you "ramble" on about the "good old days", but they are too eager to make their own "good old days" to listen to somebody as ancient as we are now.
That's probably the way it was intended to be. Each person has to learn the lessons of life for themselves, and only after the days have passed into countless years, can they look back and fully appreciate the gift they were given. So instead of a lecture, I would say to them, "Enjoy each moment and each milestone. Most of them are treasures to look back on."
This morning before we left, I saw the obituary of a classmate from that long ago class of 1957 and it reminded me again of how many others have left us since graduation. Standing on the school lawn for photos with my family that night, I couldn't think 50 years into the future. I was on the brink of my 18th birthday and the whole world lay ahead of me. Projecting 50 years ahead was more than my young mind could imagine.
If I could tell this year's class of 2007 anything at all it would be they should not be too anxious to have time pass. I remember when I was little how the months moved by so slowly. It seemed forever between birthdays, and Christmas was always something in the distant future. Of course from the perspective of someone who has only been alive 8 or 9 years, I guess it really is a long stretch. But children and young adults can't imagine the dizzying pace at which time speeds by once they've passed some of the milestones of life...graduation, college, starting your career, marriage, starting a family, buying your first home. All the "firsts" in life seem so far away and we long to be grown up and taken seriously.
But before you know it, you've achieved those milestones and it's just about living. And then you begin to see the first of the obituaries of your classmates. At first, they happen infrequently, but before long, it becomes a more regular occurrence.
I don't know about you, but crazy as it sounds, one of the more unsettling things is when the movie stars and celebrities of your youth start to pass away. You dread those announcements on the evening news that tell you another old favorite has left this world. Somehow my world seemed more intact when we still had people like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Stewart, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland. Then there was Elvis. Good Grief! How could he be gone so soon! He was my fan crush as a teenager.
The thing is, I know there is no point in trying to convince the young that they will one day look back and regret they wished time to speed up. There is simply no frame of reference and no life experience to help them know this. They can listen politely as you "ramble" on about the "good old days", but they are too eager to make their own "good old days" to listen to somebody as ancient as we are now.
That's probably the way it was intended to be. Each person has to learn the lessons of life for themselves, and only after the days have passed into countless years, can they look back and fully appreciate the gift they were given. So instead of a lecture, I would say to them, "Enjoy each moment and each milestone. Most of them are treasures to look back on."
1 comments:
Wow Mom! Nice post! As I read this, I kept thinking of Lane. He is now, (May 18th) where you were that night long ago. I certainly appreciate what you are saying, as it was 29 years ago for me, and even that boggles my mind. And I remember how naive we are at that age, yet we think we know so much! haha Nice job. Thanks for sharing that!!!
~Paulena
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