"New" Math

Don't worry: No algebra or trig in this post. In my youth, I was a good math student, but I never really enjoyed it. But as I age, numbers have started to mean something different to me. Their values seem to have changed.

The most noticeable to me has been the concept of 28 days. As a younger woman, 28 days was a pretty reliable time frame. It always meant a four-week period. (Yes, that play on words is intentional.) But over the last few years, I've noticed that what used to be "28 days" can now mean anything from 18 to 38 days. What's up with that? There was a time I could practically set my watch by it. Now, my calendar runs independent of standard time. Frustrating. Perhaps you can empathize. If you're not a woman, I guess you'll never really know.

But that's not the only number that seems to have changed value. I remember things about being 15 years old. Stretching my wings, nearing adulthood. But now, my "baby" is 15. There are days when it's not possible that he could already be that age. Involved in school activities, planning for his future. Seems like it's too soon for all of that. He's certainly mature enough, but I guess I wasn't ready to be old enough to have a child at that stage of life already. When I was 15, my mother was about the same age as I am now. I don't feel as "old" as I imagined my mom to be at that time. She's happy to remind me that her "baby" is 46...I think she has as much trouble with that as I do dealing with my child being a teenager.

Here's another one. I have known one of my best friends for more than...25 years! How is that possible? I never could have imagined a friendship of that duration. Believe me, I treasure our relationship and realize how rare and special that is. But has it really been that long? Who knew back when we had our first two classes together in college that we'd still be spending time together. Another close friend? That's been almost 11 years. Time sure flies.

Speaking of time, the clock ticks at a different pace, too. I remember back in the day when we'd go out to a club...at 10:00 at night! Now I sometimes fall asleep before the end of a TV show at that time. I guess I shouldn't make fun of my folks for heading out to a restaurant at 4:30 in the afternoon. Starting to make sense that you'd want to beat the dinnertime rush.

I know...a minute is the same as it was back in the '60s. A year is still 365 days, just like in the '80s. Maybe I just need to stop looking at my watch and my calendar so much and just live each day like it's...today.