You Only Pass This Way Once

This is an oil painting of an hourglass on a shore, with the bottom half submerged in sand and water, suggesting a merging with the beach. The top half is clear, and the sand within is falling down to the bottom, where it blends with the natural sand of the beach. The water splashing against the bottom part of the hourglass creates a dynamic interaction between time and nature. The sky in the background appears tumultuous, adding to the dramatic effect.

The sands of time are passing by.

Nothing has shown me this more than watching my son grow.

Perceiving time pass from your own viewpoint is tough. You feel more or less the same every day. The people you know and love are aging at the same rate.

But a child’s development is rapid. One month, they’re pronouncing ‘milk’ as ‘meel,’ which is adorable. Then, before you know it, they’ve added the ‘k,’ and ‘meel’ is gone forever.

When you see it in your child it is both sad and beautiful. Each new milestone they hit you know there is no coming back from. It’s amazing to watch your child grow. But it’s sad that you cannot freeze time and savor those moments even more.

I’ve noticed this for myself in more subtle ways. Things I loved in my 20’s, travel, for example, don’t excite me in the same way. And that’s ok. That’s life. We change. New parts of us emerge, grow, and flourish – while other parts are pruned away.

What this emphasizes for me is to run down dreams I have now with vigor. Not because I only pass this way once, but also because I will be a different person with different dreams in the future.

There is no time to waste.

The sands are slipping by…

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One Comment

  1. Unknown's avatar

    Love this Kevin. My sister has five kids and I feel like I have noticed this through them much more than I see it in myself. Same with my parents, I can start to see them age too and makes me reconsider where I should spend my time in this very moment or season of my life. I recently pitched a hand at an Epsilon Rite for my home chapter down the street. So too go the moments…

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