As Seasons Change

We had our first notable snow fall of the season today. My initial reaction - which I heard echoed in murmurs of disgust by many others - was: "Where did summer go? How could it be gone so fast?"

That feeling of time slipping through my fingers seems to accelerate each year.

Much-anticipated events are now fond memories; times I thought I couldn't live through are now badges of courage and strength; and the faces in my daily life have changed and changed again - literally and figuratively.

Naturally, this feeling is most prominent when I look at my children. My babies who are no longer babies!

My son, my youngest child, is two and a half. I listen to him speaking in intelligent sentences and watch him keeping up with his older sisters and it hurts my heart a little. I want to keep his tiny hand enclosed in my palm in hopes that it won't grow larger if I just hold on tight.

The seasons keep changing, but fortunately the rapid pace has taught me a thing or two about perspective - about what and who are important. It's that time-tested wisdom that now keeps me from complaining too much about a snow fall. A beautiful one at that.