Time Keeps On Slippin', Slippin', Slippin', Into the Future

One realization that I came to long ago, was that hours move way faster than minutes, days move way faster than hours, and weeks move way faster than days.  As a human, I become so concentrated on the present, that time truly flies away.  Already, I've got 15 years under my belt!! (almost 16)  The most disconcerting thing is that every now and then, you get pulled out of the present, and you watch the past and the future.  Meanwhile you miss out on the present.  The middle ground of these two view points is what is called Eternal Perspective.  This last week, I got to look through all three of these lenses, as did the whole Houghton family.

During the week, we had regular school stuff, water polo games and tournaments,

 homecoming prep.,

 

 (80's day above, crazy day below)

 soccer practices,

   football games in the band,

 music lessons, PSAT's, church group activities, parties, Scout camporees, girls' night, etc.  Basically, it was a typical crazy week, with lots of "present" stuff going on.  It flew by.

Then, on Saturday night, our family was whisked out of the present, into the ethereal land of "past and future."  Kelsea (15) and Savannah (13) Webster (who we have known for about eight years, and with whom we have shared friendship, dinners, church and school activities, and who had very recently gone to live in Utah) along with another friend, were caught in between two trains coming from opposite directions on parallel tracks.  Wind currents pushed them into the trains, and Kelsea and the friend were killed instantly.  Savannah is in critical condition with major injuries.

I'm finding that for me, when someone dies, it takes a while to truly comprehend that they are gone.  I forget the present, and let time flow by.  First, I have to think about how they lived, and what they meant to me.  After I've done that for a few hours, I think about what it will mean now that they're gone, and how I will move on with life.  The answer to "how do I move on with life" is simple: I trust in the Lord, and realize that I will see that person again.  Then I need to return to the present with a renewed purpose to live and appreciate life.

I think my whole family went through this process in different ways, and now we've been shoved back into the hectic life that we call our own.  We don't forget and move on.  We remember, and move on.  We try to remember to live a life that is fully worth living, because we never know how long we have until we must leave this earth behind.

Now, Mom is acting as the phone service for anyone who wants information on the funeral, memorial service, how Savannah's doing, etc.  This week is also homecoming for the high schoolers, and activities for that and for water polo occupy all the time not filled with school.  Time has started to slip away again.

Love, 

Marta 

(with help from Mom)