Where Does the Time Go?

 I am always thinking and wondering what I should write about.  Lately I have been thinking about how our lives have "chapters".  Distinctive periods of life when things happen and then time goes by and those things are not happening and your wonder how the heck did you get to where you are.

 

For example, when Courtney was born, my next door neighbor, Marie, was also pregnant and gave birth 10 days later.  During our pregnancies we spend lots of time together.   Shopping, swimming at the Ambassador's residence.  We laughed our heads off at the dressmaker trying to explain how to make maternity bathing suits! (we were in Bangkok with the US Embassy).  We took child birth classes together.

 After our babies were born- a girl for me and a boy for her, we were both nursing mothers.   We were transferred away and so was Marie and her husband.  We caught up by phone briefly when Nick and Courtney and I were staying in Nick's parent's house.  We exchanged letters for a while too, so I knew when she had more kids.

Then years went by. Many many years- 40 or so.  And we have found each other on Facebook.  She is living back in her home country, Australia, long divorced from her American husband.  She looks very much the same except for the gray hair.   I am more than 100 lb heavier, but she still recognized me.

So we had a chapter as best friends for a while.  Went along living our live.  And now we are in a new chapter.

I have a dear friend Joanne.  I met her at a La Leche League meeting where I was the LLL Leader and she was one of the moms.   We became good friends.  She eventually became a LLL Leader herself and was my co-Leader.  When we met I was pregnant with my no 37 year old son Austin.  She and I have both had more children.  We have stayed in touch VIA mail, email and getting together in person every few years. 

Yesterday I went to visit Joanne.  She lives in a house that I had never visited before.  A beautiful house.  Just her and her husband.  Like Nick and I.  No kids running around demanding our attention.    I was so nice.  Just the two of us old friends.  It was like no time had passed at all.   But it has.  She had 4 grandchildren.  I have one.  We are different people, but we are not really, just older.   We still fit together.

I put this picture of my clean laundry here- specifically towels- a few days ago.  I was going to write something about laundry. And I may still one day.  But right now it's there for a different reason.  When Joanne was giving me the house tour, she showed me her linen closet.  She folds her towels the exact same way I do.  It struck me as so funny!  When the kids were little we used to fold laundry together. 

And so the chapters keep getting written.  Life goes on.

Courtney will be 47 in a few days.  Morgan will be 44 one week later.  Everyone says the same thing "where does the time go?".   But, what's the answer?