Time Keeps on Slipping, Slipping, Slipping…

Time is a cruel master. Like the Terminator, it will keep coming, it can be reasoned with or bargained with, and it absolutely will not stop!

A couple of weeks ago was the 4th of July, and I had a very nice time. Let me repeat that. I had a “nice” time. I saw friends, hung out, and ate a lot.

Then I started thinking about 4th of July weekend’s from years past. Like *way* past. Like 13 years past. It’s amazing how much things have changed. The holiday weekend used to be about partying all day long with friends. Now it’s about having a sensibly good time and “chatting.”

Here are a few of the differences from 13 years ago (Young Avish) and this year (Current Avish)

YOUNG AVISH: Hanging with friends involved lots of raucous jokes, usually involving insulting each other,
CURRENT AVISH: Hanging with friends involved commenting on how cute the 2 year old is and how “baby-proofed” the house is.

YOUNG AVISH: Horsing around meant fun punching and wrestling with buddies.
CURRENT AVISH: Horsing around meant tickling my buddy’s daughter (the aforementioned 2 year old).
While he was holding her.
And we were sitting together on the couch.
That was kind of weird…

YOUNG AVISH: Drinking meant *drinking*. Passing out before the fireworks was a bonus.
CURRENT AVISH: Drinking meant stopping after 2 or 3 “lite” beers because I need to watch my calories. Pesky slowing down metabolism…

YOUNG AVISH: Cooking involved throwing a few burgers on the grill. Cheese was a bonus, and ketchup constituted the entire spectrum of condiments.
CURRENT AVISH: Cooking involved my friend creating an epicurean feast: Homemade pulled pork sandwiches, homemade baked beans (cooked for 24 hours), homemade coleslaw (who does that??), homemade shrimp, and homemade beer can chicken. You seeing a “homemade” theme here?

By the way, beer can chicken is a disturbing think to look at, but quite tasty when cooked right – and it was!

YOUNG AVISH: Party until 2 AM on Friday, sleep in, then party until 3 AM on Satuardy. Whoo-hoo!
CURRENT AVISH: July 3rd – in bed by 11PM.
July 4th – up at 7AM, in bed by midnight.
July 5th – up at 8AM, in bed by 10:30PM

You parents may be shaking your heads at me thinking, “sleeping in until 8AM! That’s luxurious!” Keep in mind, I have no kids and am a single guy in my own condo in Philly. I shouldn’t know that a “Sunday, 8AM” exists.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I don’t want to come across as the main character in Bruce Springstein’s “Glory Days,” sitting around the bar lamenting the loss of the glory of the good old days. (is it wrong that I used both the words “glory,” and “days,” to explain the meaning of the song “Glory Days?” Oh well…)

Time moves on and things change. Sometimes I get nostalgic for those Glory Days, but for the most part, I try to focus on what’s good about today and how I can make it even better.

The Lesson:
In my programs on being flexible and dealing with change, two key principles I teach are to stay in the moment and to say “yes, and.” People who struggle with the Glory Days tend to live in the past and not the moment, and say lots of “yes, buts” to all the things that are different now. This is no way to live, and no way to get the most out of life.

How about you? Are you looking back a bit too much on the Glory Days, or are you making the most of the changes in your life?

Like most people, I had a sheer amount of idiocy in my younger days. I do however, remember saying one smart thing soon after college while reminiscing with some friends: “I never want to look back and say, ‘those were the best days of my life,’ because I always want NOW to be the best days of my life.” There’s some food for thought.

Then I did another shot.

🙂

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