Monday, August 29, 2022

When She Turned 50, I Was 22 and Living My First Year in Kentucky. I Found a Photo from Her 50th Party. And I'm 50 Now. This Time Thing Is Something.

This is my mom. I found pictures of cake for her 50th and this photo, too. She's opening a present from me, but I'm not sure what I sent from Louisville. I just know I wasn't at the party. I see myself in the photo, especially if I cock my head a particular way. This, too, is a photo from my 50th. At hers, we'd have to take the film cartridge to a drugstore and wait a week for the pictures to be returned. Of course now, we have cellphones.

Last night we watched Big Brother and avoid another night of ice cream. I'm putting this in perspective, as at 50, Chitunga is 26...the twins are heading to 30. I'm simply trying to gage time. Cynde and Mike, a couple years ahead of me, have 26 and 23 right behind them. It's funny to think about where we were when we were that age. At 26, I was definitely teaching at the Brown School and full-blown finishing a 2nd Masters degree. 

I believe I have more gray than my mother at this time...and definitely more facial hair. We both wear glasses

50. It remains a good age. It's definitely a space to put years behind ya, but also to think strategically about the years that are ahead. Funny to think there aren't photos in drawers in my house, because anything taken stays on the phone or is stored on Facebook. Of course, many are uploaded to Twitter and the Blogs I keep, too. Who knows if any of them will be around when I'm 78. Only time will tell. 

What remains the same is the very human need to capture time while we have it, in any way that we can. 

I really does go by pretty fast.