A Ticking Clock

We are heading home today after a wonderful time in Calgary. The "official" reason for our visit this time was to look after our grandson while his parents were away. We are fortunate that our granddaughter and her parents live just twenty minutes away so we have been blessed to have been able to spend time with both of them.

It seems that each time we are hear I hear the faint sound of a ticking clock counting down the minutes until we have to leave. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second we spend here is so precious.

I hear the ticking clock more often these days - even when we are not here.

Perhaps part of the reason is that I will turn fifty-two in a few months and my mom died suddenly at age fifty-five. I can't help but think about her and what dreams and hopes she may have had when she was fifty-two and all that she missed out on.

She adored my children, her grandchildren, as much as I adore my own grandchildren. It breaks my heart that she died so young and did not have the opportunity to see Michael and Laurinda grow up; just as it breaks my heart to consider not having that opportunity with Makiya and Jaxon. It's one of the reasons I started paying more attention to my health, and it's another reason I want to retire early so I can spend more time with them.

Sometimes the sound of the ticking clock is so loud that I forget to stop and enjoy the small, seemingly insignificant, moments that each day brings.

This week I have enjoyed time reading to the grands, playing with them, taking them for walks, and sitting an amazement at how much that have grown and changed in the short time since I saw them last. I have also been blessed to have been able to spend time talking with Laurinda about things that are important to each of us, though those precious moments seem to have been so brief.

I took time to appreciate the beauty of fallen fall leaves, the crunching sound they make when you walk through them, smile at black squirrels running across a yard, laugh as a jack rabbit caught the attention of my grandson, breath in cool morning air, and appreciate the sun on my skin on unseasonably-warm afternoons.

The clock continues to count down; I am filled with gratitude that the moments between each tick-tock are filled with wonder and beauty and family.

7 comments:

Carmen said...

I so relate! I just turned 52 earlier this year...you definitely start to ponder those things at this age. Enjoyable post!

Terri Tiffany said...

Linda,
our thoughts could be interchangeable. I feel the same way.

Hill Country Hippie said...

You are fortunate to have had your kids fairly young, and that they followed suit. I hear the clock ticking, but in a different way - Will I live to even see any grandchildren? If so, will I still have the health and energy necessary to really enjoy them to the fullest?

Karen said...

Linda, sounds like your time was wonderful. Yes, I'm away from my grandkids and time does slip away. But we do need to treasure and be thankful for the moments as they come. Blessings**

Deb said...

yep you have to enjoy every minute..

Unknown said...

I can really only imagine, but I do SEE how difficult it is for you to leave... You're almost there, or would it be here?! xox

Deb Shucka said...

What a beautiful post. I'm in exactly the same space right now, and the ticking of the clock only gets louder as we get older. I guess the good thing is that it helps us remember to pay attention.