Fleeting

What an intense day, well intense weekend really. But in the end wonderful. Tonight I feel happily nestled in a web of relationships, not only in the present but from the past and into the future.

How fleeting it is. I want to grab on and hold tight.

My son, growing up and away so quickly now, our relationship slowly and sometimes painfully starting its turn towards an adult friendship. For now, I'm his homework buddy (his words) and I can still help.

I wore my grandmother's skirt to the opera. My mother said she would have loved that. When I was younger it was a little too big. Now it fits.

My mother and I, dozing through the first act of the opera, laughing as we left at intermission to go shopping instead.

Giving out treats for Hallowe'en. Just a few years ago it was me wandering around the streets with my friend and our kids watching them yell "Trick or Treat" at stranger's doors.

And at the end of the day, cuddling on the couch with my husband watching mindless TV. How many times have we done this? Who else can I spend time with not talking?

And how fleeting is the natural world. I spent some of the weekend watching the migrating birds squabble over these rosehips. The robins, hermit thrush, fox sparrows, kinglets and sparrows all vying for their share.

How short their lives are compared to ours. How short our lives are when we step back. So fleeting.