As we strolled through the entrance of the Embassy Suites it was evident the Then and Now party theme was in full swing for the Flower Mound Chamber’s 40th Anniversary Fiesta Event.
Rubik’s Cube occasional tables, neon clad staff, and 80s music vibrating throughout the Silent Auction room made an impact! In the main dining room, the band was getting the crowd of 600 going by belting out relevant upbeat tunes, there was the customary photobooth with themed props, even the bathrooms were fully decked out with 80s movie posters and a Jell-O shot bar!
Since we were attending with so many of our middle age peers, a sense of camaraderie was quickly established through a shared membership in the Chamber, as well as the experience of having been teens during that decade.
One part of the evening I was feeling especially nostalgic, it was during the main entertainment showcase. The talent was awesome! Top Hat Dance Studio provided a wonderful and enthusiastic team of teens who glided skillfully through songs like Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ and Dexys Midnight Runners’ Come on Eileen. It was while watching their show I began to realize how quickly FORTY YEARS had gone by!
Part of me feels like it was literally just yesterday when I was finishing high school, getting married, and beginning our family. Now I’ve been married 30 years, my youngest of five kids is about to finish high school, and my eldest is in his mid-30s!
I vividly remember my 35th birthday, Tom planned a surprise trip for us to Vegas…now my KID is 35! How did that happen??
As the montage of 80s tunes unraveled, I found myself asking, “Where did the time go?” I can remember feeling, as a young mom, how slow and boring some of my days were. Feedings, diaper changes, naps, laundry, cooking, repeat, repeat, repeat. Looking back, it’s hard to believe I made it through.
I’m sure I’m not the only mom who remembers the monotony of those days.
As those cool teens danced away on the stage, I continued to grapple with processing how quickly time passes. One question kept coming up for me during their show, “What do I want the rest of my time to look like?”
I wasn’t trying to be morbid, no, it was curious self-inquiry.
Living with intention is how I’d like to spend whatever years I have left. Will it be another 40 years? Who knows? That would make me 94 and I’m not sure I want to be around that long.
I do know that I don’t want to waste time worrying about getting older. I want to decide how to best use this time to make the gift of life count. I remind myself, to that end, I’ve already done a few things to begin leaving a legacy.
In 2020 I intentionally left my job to pursue coaching parents. In 2021 I intentionally published a book about my childhood and parenting journey. In 2022 I have created a channel on TikTok that has almost 90k followers, and in 2023 I will be writing/performing a TEDx talk on the main idea of from my book.
Knowing we are heading into the season of family, friends, and food, I’d like to think I will also be intentional with the little, yet meaningful things as well. Like, finding a way to make the holiday season special for my kids and husband, enjoying holiday treats without going overboard, and sharing a kind gesture or two with a passing stranger.
We can all live with intention. And gratitude. Today’s column is a message to remind myself, and you, that time passes (whether we realize it or not), and to invite ourselves to be conscious of how we spend our time.
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