Editor’s note: Long-time Senior Voice readers will remember Edna Woolston’s frequent columns from her home in Sutton, sharing stories about her days there with her husband and their animals, and her thoughts and recollections about many aspects of life. When her husband passed away six years ago, she returned to New York to live with family and we recently learned she passed away this year in January. There will be a celebration of life this month in her hometown of Gaines, New York. In honor of the dozens of articles she wrote over many years, we are reprinting one of our favorites. Thank you to her family for finding it for us.
Like the great bald eagle, time sits in a tall tree and watches the world with a sharp eye, missing nothing. He is a restless bird, a constant scout.
When we were little children, sometimes time passed so slowly. When will we be old enough to go to school, to ride our bike on the road, to go places by ourselves?
Later, we are wishing, when will we be old enough to play soccer, to drive a car, even get a job? In our teens, time sometimes goes too fast. We are rushing to get term papers done, to get to work on time, rushing to get our work done, hurrying to grow up.
When we are young adults, we never have enough time. Not enough time for work, for play, for family, for getting ahead. Like the white rabbit, we are always late, “late! late! late!, for a very important date.”
Time is always the same, really, the same number of minutes in an hour, the same number of hours in the day, every day. Every year. They say “Time flies,” but, really, we are the ones who are flying. Always flying, flying. Seldom coming to rest in our tall eyrie. Sometimes we fly in circles, but very fast, and sometimes we fly high and wide, and once in a while we sit in the big nest and try to put it all together.
Look at where age 20 is! Even old enough to vote.
Age 40 has been pictures as a crucial time. “Mid-life crises.” “Life begins at 40.” “A time to reflect, to accept prizes and count casualties.” “A time to make our move.”
We who are 70 (we are now in our 80s) look at 40 and 20 as a long time ago. We wish we could capture some of those moments again.
We love and are proud of our family, and proud of ourselves. Guess we did a good job!
Every night, when you close your eyes on the day’s travail, count your many blessings and examine each one carefully. There are so many you will fall asleep before you are finished.
Thank God for your family, your talent and your good work, for your good life.
Time is an eagle. It pounces on its unsuspecting prey, choosing to strike any place.
Time is an eagle, to look at in tall trees, to admire, to respect and, sometimes, to fear.
Time is a gift from God, the same to each and every one of us.
