Friday, December 18, 2020

Christmas Already?

by Linda Thorne

How does Christmas get here so fast? When I was a kid, my father used to say the older you got the faster time went by. I didn’t understand. Back then, all I knew is Christmas seemed to take forever to come around.

When I became a young adult, my dad told me this again, and I still didn’t get it, although I’d noticed it didn’t take quite as long for Christmas time to arrive. I asked him why he thought this was so. He told me it was because we have more years behind us, and the more years packed under our belts means the coming years speed up. This didn’t answer my question and back then we didn’t have the internet. I remember blowing him off and thinking, whaatteevver.



Since then I’ve researched this online, finding that it's a scientific fact having to do with our memories. When you’re a kid many things you do, go through, experience, are for the first time, making new memories each day. From what I’ve read, when anything becomes routine, you just sort of pass through it unknowingly, and that time seems to disappear from your time frame, shortening it, so that major event reminders like the annual holiday season can seem to be here sooner than in the past. By the way, when I talk about Christmas and the holiday season, this can be any holiday event of any kind.

I also read online that if you want time not to go by so quickly, keep having new experiences. I’m sure that’s accurate, but not so easy when you’re older. Most of the things we do in the later years will be repetitive. As I move through my 70s, I see people my age strapped because of finances (the reason I don't quit my day job). My husband is alive and well but has not been physically mobile for making trips with me for a long, long time. Also, even for those folks who can move around easily and have plenty of money, still have fewer opportunities for new experiences. Even if they take trip or a cruise to a place they've never been, they've already had the experience of a trip or a cruise. 

Here's a picture of my husband and me taken earlier this month to use for Christmas cards. We tried a selfie, but our glasses fogged up because of the masks. A neighbor appeared and volunteered to help. 


Hey all, have a great holiday and a Happy New Year and make a new happy memory.



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Linda Thorne website



4 comments:

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Linda, have as merry a Christmas as is possible this year. Ours will be much the same as always. We are having family here for Christmas EVe--and some will come on Christmas Day. Our dinner is on the Eve, we'll eat leftovers on the day. What has really changed for us is no airline traveling. Hubby couldn't do it at all. And my last flying trips were not easy.

authorlindathorne said...

Our family is all over the U.S. They fly to see us, but not this year under these circumstances. You're lucky you have family close enough to visit. Have a wonderful holiday and I'm sure we'll have a similar conversation next year, wondering how 2021 went by so fast. Stay safe.

Morgan Mandel said...

Now I know why time goes by so fast for me! The only time it seems to go slow at times is if I'm waiting for something. Onw thing that seems very strange is that it will almost be a year since the dreaded virus came to our attention. Hard to believe.

authorlindathorne said...

You're right, Morgan. Hard to believe. Even though many things are different, this year has flown. Also the Presidential election. It seems like no time that Hillary Clinton and Trump were scrambling for the Presidential post. Boy, I do feel my age when it comes to time.