Oh How Time Flies

It’s December already. It seems impossible. So much happened this year, and clearly time waits for no one or nothing. The months seem to be whizzing by faster and faster. At the beginning of last week, I reminded myself that I needed to write something for November. Then life got in the way and before I knew it, the week was over and I’d missed my self-imposed deadline. As they say, better late than never.

Last week was rough. Sunday was my Mom’s birthday, the first since she left us. As a family, we went to the cemetery. She was buried the beginning of March, but they just finally set her stone in early November. She always said not to bring flowers to her grave, but to bring apples instead to feed the deer. I’m sure anyone who saw me scattering apples around her grave probably thought I was crazy. Maybe I am, but that’s what Mom wanted. We cried, we laughed, we sang Happy Birthday. And then I went to the club and had a few before going home to cry some more. Grief is a fickle thing, coming and going without warning. It’s exhausting.

And then there was Thanksgiving. It’s been hard since 2009 when we lost Mummum & Pappap. This year was harder. I helped my sister make dinner, doing as much as I could. I watched the parade. I got choked up when “Mom’s commercial,” the Eat n Park Christmas tree aired. She loved it so much, and we would watch her watch the commercial. I miss that. Then we gathered at the table at noon with our drinks to listen to Alice’s Restaurant. It’s tradition. It was weird without Mom. My granddaughter sleeping on my chest, her head snuggled into my neck, helped me through it.

That’s another thing….all these “firsts” without Mom are also our firsts with my Tiny Bestie. My mom was supposed to be here for this. 💔

Now it’s already December 4th. The tree is up, but not decorated. The outside of the house is half lit up. Time is flying by, and I’m trying so hard to find that Christmas spirit. The house needs decorated. The Christmas shopping needs done. The cookies need baked. I feel like I’m running out of time.

The truth is, I am. None of us know how much time we have left. Be kind to one another. Make memories. Take pictures. Say I love you to the ones who mean the most to you. Put yourself first every now and then. And whatever you do, don’t blink.