They say that “time flies”…
But to me, it’s always crawled;
Days and nights pass slowly,
each week feeling like an achievement in itself.
“They grow so fast” –
The common cliché;
Yet it feels like forever:
stages in life
feeling like multiple lifetimes;
from marriage to fatherhood;
Hajj then second child;
changing jobs,
and all the centuries in between.
Life was never “too short”
to this old soul
in a no-longer-young body.
Feeling the immense weight of time –
the passing moments
even from my early 20s;
an age of youthful vigour –
yet those years were prolonged –
in a seemingly-endless search
for love in life,
purpose and prosperity in companionship.
And as the age of forty approaches,
I look back
without conception of how long it’s taken to get here;
for each year
has been an age of its own,
each decade an eternity;
time frozen,
as precious moments are accrued,
witnessing innocent joy in simplicity,
as the next generation blossoms
beyond the carefree years of childhood.
Their teenage years loom,
as will early adulthood
and marriage beyond.
Coming into their own –
unique paths to forge,
as my diminishing hair turns white with wisdom.
And a grandfather I shall be,
replacing the role of my own father;
hoping to give that generation
all the love, compassion, and joyful episodes
that he shared with his grandkids…
priceless childhood memories
they’ll take with them
as they embark
on their own journeys of adult contributions to this world.
Whether time shall pass this slowly for them,
I do not know.
But while they’re still under my care,
in these formative years of youth,
I hope to pass on
much goodness,
laughter,
and love,
as this old soul
toils through this worldly existence,
yearning for the Eternal Life of Relief to come.
Grow well,
and go well,
my dear children;
and when I’m gone,
take forth my legacy with kind regard,
as I enter my next home –
the plot of land that patiently waits
for my company,
even now.
Each moment is immense;
each memory a treasure.
Take lessons from these words,
strive always for God’s pleasure.
For on that Day,
when souls old and young will stand as judgement starts,
I hope we’ll be together,
and to the Greatest Abode depart.
slip-sliding away..... 
Time moves both slowly and quickly. Some times seem to last forever and you think things are set in stone but when you look back it’s like it’s gone in an instant.
Interesting perspective, Naomi. Thanks for your input.
Time moved like molasses for me when I was a child. Now, each year speeds to a conclusion, and I wondered how it ended so fast.
That’s quite intriguing, Phil. And do you prefer the current speed?
Absolutely beautiful write – so much of this I feel myself. Thank you for sharing!