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Bending Time By Anna Osborn, LMFT, Relationship Therapist and Coach
It’s that time of year, the time for throwing caps in the air and making big plans for one’s future. The time for tassels, balloon arches and adorable yearbook inscriptions. And even though my kiddos just finished 4th grade, my handful of friends with graduating seniors have ALL reminded me how fast this time goes and how my kids will be graduating in the blink of an eye. Which is way too much of an emotional overload if you ask me! I’m trying to reside in a strong place of denial and these tugs into reality are not my jam. 62. ardentforlife.net - Summer 2022
Yes, I know that time moves quickly and we sadly squander a lot of it with scrolling, distractions and overscheduling; but what if there was a way to bend time and make it all slow down a bit. Or even return to a younger age and experience it all over again? I know this is just magical thinking from a mom whose kids are growing up on her, but it doesn’t mean I can’t dream about it.
We are all well aware that we live in a time of fast forward. Kids school and activity loads are unreasonably intense at younger ages. Marriages are strained by growing demands on time and resources. And time is just stretched too thin.
And as great as it might be to know this, the real power comes in being able to figure out what to do to combat it. How do we become better stewards of our time in order to really nourish our partnerships and families in the way they all desperately need? How do we get back in control of our days and weeks? How do we bend time? Talk about the million dollar answer, right? I may not have the answer, but I do have some ideas that can point you in the right direction. First, play the long and the short game. Sometimes an instantaneous ‘yes’ to a new activity or event is the right answer and other times you look at the calendar for the month and realize that you need to say ‘no’ because one