It’s About Time

Welcome to the beginning of my new Blog page “Reflections on Aging”. I decided that “It’s About Time” was a good title for the introduction to this new page, as it conveys two meanings, both of which have become important to me, with a growing sense of urgency.

When spoken, “it’s about time” refers to something that should have happened already, and is sometimes said in a voice indicating impatience. When I say this to myself, I use it as a reminder to undertake concrete tasks I am not eager to do and have delayed, like going through a pile of long-neglected papers. I also use it to try and let go of things that have troubled me, like grievances about perceived past hurts, or self-critical views about my own capabilities. 

And the phrase “it’s about time” has another meaning, that underlies many of my essays. It refers to my growing awareness of the shortening of my time horizon, and the emphasis is on the word “time.”

When I was younger, even in my 40s and 50s, the time ahead seemed limitless. I wanted to write personal essays, spend more time with friends, visit new places, and do volunteer work to help those in need. It seemed I would have plenty of time to do all that especially after my children were grown and I retired from full-time work. Well, I have come to that point in my life where those milestones have been reached, and although I have been doing some of the things I had looked forward to, most of my days quickly fill up with errands and activities that aren’t very meaningful to me. And I find that much of what I think about and write about is about my aging, the passage of time, and my shrinking time horizon. To paraphrase James Carville’s expression about the economy during Bill Clinton’s campaign, I often tell myself “It’s about time, Sherry” – to remind myself to focus on those things I would like to do.

I will use this “Reflections on Aging” page to write about both meanings. I know it’s about time that I organized my papers, and that I face some of the worries and concerns that have been part of my life and try to come to peace with them. And as for the other meaning, I intend to utilize the time that I have, as much as I can, to do what is most meaningful to me.