Calendar Effect

So, I'm about to tell you one of my (many) theories. I know, I know, I could probably make a million dollars from this theory but I'm gonna share it with you...how generous is that? Giving up a lifetime of financial comfort all in the name of a blog post?

Okay, so here goes:

You know, how, when you are young, a 30 minute car ride seemed to take forever? Or it felt like summer vacation lasted soooooo long? Or that Christmas (or your favorite holiday, I'll reference Christmas, since it's my favorite holiday) took ages and ages to arrive? Then, suddenly, you become an adult and that 30 minute car ride is a breeze, so quick you'll take it just to "pick up a little something", and summer vacation is gone nearly as soon as it arrives, and you've barely put away the Christmas decorations and it's time to take them out again?

Now, I know studies have already been done on this. That "they" have found something in adults brains (I believe it is the hippocampus, or something that gives the perception of time speeding up. But, doesn't hippocampus sound like somewhere large, desert dwelling animals go to college?)...okay, so where we? Oh, yeah...hippocampuses (or would the plural be 'hippocampii'?). So, apparently something to do with adult hippocampuses gives us the perception that time speeds up. I don't buy it.

My theory? I'll call it the "Calendar Effect". I think that as children, you pay no attention to time, dates, etc. As adults, it seems like that's all we do. When is the mortgage due, when do I have to work, when do the kids have a doctor appointment? When is soccer/tennis/piano/guitar/dance/etc.?

You see, I believe, that as adults (especially in this society) we are sooooo calendar focused that we lose what kids do best. Living in the moment. We are always looking forward to another date, another time, another event that we (consciously or sub-consciously) reach one date and have already moved on to the next. Hence, the "Calendar Effect".

I first realized this during pregnancy (and, for anyone who may have been confused by my last post, no, I am not pregnant!!)...when you finish one prenatal exam and you are already thinking about/counting down to the next. Perhaps that is why we enjoyed "Christmas Countdown Chains" as children...a visual, something to look forward to removing and knowing we were one. day. closer.

I really wish I weren't a victim of the Calendar Effect...I would love nothing more than to spend my days content in time. No worries about bills to pay, when my annual physical is due, or that school is (very) quickly approaching. Yeah, I'd be okay with that. But, instead, I see life cruising by at speeds so fast I barely can see what's passing me by. I see my babies getting excited for school to start and asking over and over "how much more minutes mom?" when we're on a car ride. I wish I could tell them (and that they'd understand) to enjoy this weird time warp that we live...that someday all to soon, they will be wondering where the time went.

And that my friends, is my theory. The Calendar Effect. Excuse me now while I go fill out my calendar for the next couple months...

(Oh, and hee, hee...my spell checker told me that hippocampus was two words, as in, hippo campus--apparently spellchecker thinks it's also a college for desert dwelling animals!)