Community Chat

[Susan in California]

Now that I'm older, it seems the years just fly.

When I was a child, we had a next-door neighbor my parents really liked.  He was a generation older than my parents easily--a WWI era man. He had a beautiful garden, and my mother always admired all that he could grow even in the Bay Area fog.

He and his wife were quite elderly.  But my mother and father enjoyed Mr. Brown and would have pleasant conversations with him usually outside, just pleasantries.

My father told Mr. Brown where he was headed, and Mr.

Brown immediately started up a conversation about something newsworthy about the place.  My father said,

"Oh, my, Ned, when did that happen?!"

And Ned Brown said , "Oh, now, let me see, that was in 1929!"

My father was always polite, and he said, "Oh, I see....."

and that was it.

But I was about 12, and I would roll my eyes thinking--that was more than 30 years ago!!!!!

I've often told my husband that at times I remind myself of Ned Brown!  When I talk about something from 1990 (which haha doesn't seem so long ago), it's like Ned Brown talking about an event from 1929!

As a joke, I'll even say,  "When was that, Ned?" and follow it up with  "Now let me see...in 1929!"

[mspemberley]

Lovely story and yes...the years go by faster all the time. My last surviving aunt turned 90 in August and she is doing well, pretty as ever. I had a nice bday visit with her and I could have listened to her stories all day! She's a very practical person and I have always appreciated her advice. I hope the next generation in my family feels the same way about me!

[rockygems123]

@Susan in California 

That was a sweet, poignant and true story. What part of the Bay Area?  We grew up In So San Francisco.

[Maggie Nolia]

It is true -- the days are long, but the years are short.

[speedy girl]

It's so true! With all the kids going back to school right now, it makes me think of all the years mine were little and what an exciting time of year this was. It all went by so fast! 

[qualitygal]

@Susan in California  Wait till you can say, man, that was 50-60 years ago already!!!

[goldensrbest]

So very true, i find myself talking about things in my life from many years ago,i remember ,parents ,grandparents ,doing this many years ago ,me wondering at the time why they did this ,well here i am doing the same thing.

[Eileen in Virginia]

One of my uncles once told me to enjoy life while I was a child because, when you get older, the years just fly by. So true! When I see my grand-nieces and nephews who are young adults, I wonder where the time has gone. 

[Buffalogal47]

@qualitygal : I'm there already. And it seems unreal. Now I understand the expression, "It seems like only yesterday...", when the event happened half a century or more ago.