The one pervading wisdom of the human race has to be “Tempus Fugit.” Time Flies, they say, and they’re right. A minute ago, the summers lasted aeons.
I blinked my eyes, Jr. High. I blink again, High School. Again, College. Then working, then 400 pounds, then China. Here’s where whoever’s driving the Time Bus decides to get stupid.
The last time I had to really reflect, I had just fought in the US Open, 336 lbs - can’t wait to tell you more about that by the way - and after another blink, I’m married, a hundred lbs lighter, and now THREE kids, two of whom speak two languages and one who’s already taking digital pics. Weren’t you just in diapers?
This is not my beautiful wife - this is not my beautiful car. The phrase should really be “Tempus Propero,” or “Time Accelerates.” Because not only is it pulling us through existence at an astounding pace, it’s getting faster.
And faster. I guess there’s nothing to do but hold on to each other for dear life.
That song “100 years” is depressing as hell (”I’m 33 - for a moment,”) because it covers an entire life in three minutes. But when it’s all done for us, will it feel even that long?
In the last conversation with my Grandma Burnie, I told her time flies. She sighed, and replied, “Where did it all go? In my head, I’m still nineteen.” She was eighty.
After you have kids, and when you come up from dank diaperage to breathe fresh air, you feel really mortal. I’m blessed, happy, fulfilled, even.
However, and unfortunately, as they say: This, too, will pass. Drink it up, men, it’s long after ten.
13 responses so far ↓
1 Lygia McMillan // Jun 25, 2007 at 10:46 am
Get out of my Brain! I am having the same thoughts and feelings about time. My mother says “Your at that age” but like you I’m not on the inside….I’s still about 18, how did my daughter get older than me?
2 Gregg the obscure // Jun 25, 2007 at 11:52 am
As the song says, “You’re older than you’ve ever been . . . . and now you’re even older”.
Tempus Fugit also means Vita Brevis.
3 Phill // Jun 28, 2007 at 11:52 pm
That’s a great line from your Grandma Burnie. I just lost my maternal grandmother, and I wish I could have had a conversation like that with her. Of course, it makes me think of the grandmother from the movie “Parenthood”:
Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.
Gil: Oh?
Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!
Gil: What a great story.
Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.
And then:
Karen: As far as I’m concerned, your grandmother is brilliant.
Gil: Yeah? If she’s so brilliant why is she sitting in our NEIGHBOR’S CAR?
4 George // Jun 29, 2007 at 1:20 pm
That is some writing there, dude!
When people ask my age, I tell them that I am *physically* 45, but generally *feel* like I’m 21. But when that alarm goes off in the morning, I could swear I’m 150!
I think I would’ve liked your Grandma Burnie.
“Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana”
~ Groucho Marx
(somebody had to say it)
5 Nick // Jul 1, 2007 at 6:59 pm
That last picture is just beautiful, man.
A great post!
You hooked me with your manglish (I was a fan before I found your site) but your blog runs deeper than that and we are all the better for it.
Congratulations on the weight and the family and on helping so many people laugh so very hard.
Wonderful Marx quote above!
6 Nathan // Jul 3, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Stop it. You’re making me cry.
(Even sadder than “100 Years”? Simon and Garfunkel’s “Old Friends.” How terribly strange to be seventy…)
7 ricardo zuniga // Jul 26, 2007 at 2:32 pm
hey man, long time without logging in, nice to see you’re still around, very nice post. seems like the other day i met you at santo domingo… anyway, great to know from you. next year, if all goes well, i should go to beijing for the olympics, will you be around? take care man!
8 Gina Cobb // Jul 29, 2007 at 12:49 am
Beautiful. Linked here: On Time, Love, and Children
9 Louise // Jul 30, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Oh Jon, we just *love* dropping by your site every now & then. What can be better than a regular dose of Manglish and some great pix of your gorgeous kids ?!?
My 12 y.o son and I love Manglish, Niwrongo (great term, BTW) and Chindogu.
WRT Niwrongo, I take it you *do* know about www.ingrish.com ? Another great source of hilarity and general underwear soiling!
Keep up the great work.
10 t3rry // Aug 23, 2007 at 6:43 pm
So? I am 58 years old and an eternal being. We come together like bubbles on a river and then drift apart. While we are together we LOVE.
My Guru once told me “Don’t try to see Krishna, make yourself so loving and so beautiful that Krishna will come to see you”.
I see that you have so much love for your family. Keep up the good work.
t3
11 Charlie Rupert Yongle Xu // Aug 24, 2007 at 10:35 am
Good Lordi Jon! You’ve gained ‘a bit’ there. Time to cut down on the egg fried rice now…
12 Charlie Rupert Yongle Xu // Aug 24, 2007 at 10:36 am
Sorry, wrong post!
13 conkave // Dec 10, 2007 at 2:36 pm
living in dublin where the seasons barely change, years are now melding into one another with an increasing ferocity that beggars belief, but on reading your post it has given me a sense of calmness that i will hold onto.
Great blog and I am glad http://redleeroy.wordpress.com/ switched me onto it.
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