IN A BLINK

It seems like the autumn brings out many things. Cooler weather, the holidays and in recent years with the advent of Face book, people try to reconnect with old friends and acquaintances from the past.

It never seizes to amaze me how a single image from the past greatly affects me. It could be a picture of a car or building that immediately transports me back to that time and place. Sometimes I can almost smell the air from my little town, nestled in the arm pit of New Jersey.

One thing is fore sure time is passing quickly.

Thirty years—it went by in a blink.

Were we too busy to notice back then, when the fight was strong within us? When nothing would stop us from doing anything (just once) to see what it felt like. It seemed that time stood still back then.

And now are we too busy trying to get our piece of the pie? Working hard, trying to get that promotion, wanting to earn more money so we could buy more stuff.

For some of us it was all about getting married raising children and buying a home.

Those memories are strong as well, like watching your child open their first Christmas present. Or, the first time you walked into your own home. And of course, the day you got married, are all meaningful strong memories.

But they still don’t affect you like the images and memories before all of that happened.

When having enough money for gas or a six pack of beer was more important than what the next day could bring. Or, if you wanted to take a road trip you jumped in the car with the clothes on your back and BOLTED. You didn’t have to plan, pack or make sure there were enough snacks, videos and games for the ride.

It was a time before the internet and cell phones but we all seemed more connected. We always knew where to find someone to hang out with and it really didn’t matter what we did, it was always ‘Out Of Hand’.

So why do memories from high school and college affect us more than recent memories,   especially the ones that were supposedly life changing?

I guess it’s because, it was a time of infinite possibilities, when dreams seemed possible.  Those old images sometimes reveal more than just fond memories. They remind us of the people we once were. Or maybe, they remind us of what we could have become.

Anyway, it’s nice to reconnect with people from the good ole days.  It doesn’t seem that the people we meet or work with today come close to the definition of friend. Especially when most of us change those acquaintances as often as we change are bed spreads or furniture.

One thing is for sure we'll blink again and it'll all be over.

CARPE DIEM.