Time flies when you’re having fun
Is it just me, or does time seem to be flying by faster than ever? I’ve often heard people say that’s what happens as we age, since we are gradually facing the fact that, sadly, none of us is immortal. I turned around and suddenly it’s June. What happened to the first half of this year? Seems like I was just watching the Rose Parade or celebrating Valentine’s Day and now we’re almost to the official start of summer. Musician Lou Reed once said, “I think life is far too short to concentrate on your past. I’d rather look into the future.” Maybe that’s why time seems to be passing so quickly for me since I am definitely one to look to the future … especially when it involves planning my next vacation.
We were talking about this fact at work the other day as one of my colleagues celebrated 40 years on the job with our company. That is quite an accomplishment, especially in this day and age when not only do people not stay with the same company very long, but also often change careers entirely. She said you start to lose track of time when you’re in one place too long.
This past week, I celebrated 10 years on the job at KDKA and I simply just don’t know where the time went. This marks the longest I have lived in one place since before I left for college. I am realizing that I remember benchmarks and events according to where I lived when they happened.
Back in the 1990s, Hurricane Andrew hit while I lived in Florida and Princess Diana died when I lived in Allentown. I moved from Charleston, W.Va., to Raleigh, N.C., the day after the 9/11 attacks and will never forget it. The deadly Alabama tornado outbreak happened in 2011 while I lived in Ohio. I remember this because I traveled there with a news photographer for my television station to cover the devastation. One year later, I moved back home to Pittsburgh to start my current job.
Now that I’ve been in the same place for 10 years, I’m starting to lose track of time. Several milestones and life events have taken place for me over the past decade, and I again find myself remembering what year they happened based on how long ago I moved home. I’ve heard friends and relatives say they remember when certain things happened based on how old their kids were then.
I read another quote about time today that made me smile. It said, “Time flies when you’re in the place you’re meant to be.” I guess that’s just another way of saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun!” Both of those are certainly true for me, as I know I’m where I’m meant to be. I’m having fun and time sure is flying!
Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.