Four Years

Four years, I had a discussion with my children today about four years.  Their response, "Four years is a long time Mom".  My reply, "Well, I'm almost fifty, so four years is a tiny snippet of time to me".  Then we started to qualify our opinions.

Connor: In four years I'll be 22. I will have graduated from college and I will be working in my field

Kerrin:  In four years I'll be a sophomore in college

Connor: Four years ago the economy had not spiraled down yet

Kerrin:  Four years ago is a long time, Marge was alive four years ago.

Connor: A lot can happen in four years...

and I started to think, even though four years is a small segment of my life, my world has evolved in the past four years.  Four years ago, I had an energetic puppy. She is now a mature and mellow dog. I also had a freshman in high school and a sixth grader, both of whom were starting new schools that year.  I still went to PTO meetings, parent teacher conferences and volunteered for school field trips, none of which are necessary anymore. Four years ago was the first year I no longer had a connection to the Elementary School. This was an enormous transition year for me. I was no longer the school photographer, taking pictures at every school event.  I was beginning to see myself in a different role with regard to my children. I was becoming less involved in their school lives and they were developing their independence. I believe four years ago was also the first year I stopped having my annual Easter Egg Hunt and the neighborhood stopped having the Holiday Stroll.  I was establishing tennis as my new past time and to support my habit, I went back to work after a fourteen year hiatus.
In the past four years I have seen my parents age, tremendously.  I have had a sister move across the country.  I have gained responsibility for a second home.  I have acquired a third driver and a third car, in addition to the worry and costs that go along with that.  I have seen a turnover with my childrens' friends, some of which saddens me and some of which is a welcome change.  I have discovered that friends are truly forever and there is always room for more. I have encountered my own battle with cancer and I have survived. I have witnessed my remarkable cousin, courageously fighting the horrible stage four cancer that has invaded her world.  The battle she has endured for the past four years has taught me to let things go, laugh as often as possible and compliment others freely.  I have learned to live with less distraction and more simplicity.  Expression is my saving grace and I need very few things in my life.
In four years time, I've learned a lifetime of lessons, so I guess my kids were right...four years is a long time, and with that, I've discovered one more thing, four years ago, I was the one that would have been right