DON’T BLINK.

“Life Goes By In A Blink Of An Eye. Appreciate The Moments.” ~ABINASH

Music is like therapy for me. It energizes, calms, brings me to a place of pondering, and teaches me about life. Depending on my mood, I play the music that feeds me at the time. The other morning after a long walk in the woods, I decided to listen to artists with more of a reflective genre while making breakfast. Then, Kenny Chesney’s “Don’t Blink” came on. Memories of my life started playing back as I listened to each line.

Don’t Blink. By Kenny Chesney

I turned on the evening news Saw an old man being interviewed Turning a hundred and two today

Asked him what’s the secret to life

He looked up from his old pipe Laughed and said all I can say is

Don’t blink, just like that, you’re six years old And you take a nap. And you wake up, and you’re twenty-five

Then your high school sweetheart becomes your wife

Don’t blink, you just might miss your babies Growing like mine did

Turning into moms and dads next thing you know, your better half of fifty years is there in bed

And you’re praying God takes you instead

Trust me, friend, a hundred years go faster than you think So, don’t blink

I was glued to my TV when it looked like he looked at me And said best start putting first things first

’Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand You can’t flip it over and start again

Take every breath God gives you for what it’s worth. So, don’t blink

So I’ve been trying to slow it down I’ve been trying to take it in

In this here today gone tomorrow world we’re living in So don’t blink.

Written by: Casey Beathard, Chris Wallin Sang by Kenny Chesney

I attended a Catholic school for the first two years, where uniforms were expected. I went to public school in my third year, and my mom took us all out to get new clothes. In the early morning of my first day, I was so excited to wear my new dress and patent leather shoes that I quietly got up when it was still dark and got ready for school. I sat on the couch with my new dress neatly on, a new lunch box sitting by my side, and waited. Finally, my mom walked out of her room and was surprised to see me.

“Terry, what are you doing up?” My response was, “Waiting to go to school.”

She smiled and said it was only 5:30. That school didn’t start for four hours, so I should go back to bed to rest for the big day.

When the kids were babies, they were, “Awww,” sooo adorable. Even though as they got to be school age, there were many times of wiping the sweat off my brow and staying up until after midnight making cupcakes; after a child remembered he forgot to tell me he had volunteered me to do this for the next day, as we said good night.

Don’t Blink.

Then when they became teenagers…they were not so adorable.

Picture this:

Walking into the kitchen one morning, my middle son, high school age with attitude, was making eggs over the stove. In a cheery voice, I said, “Good Morning, Hon!”

Him, not looking up, “MOM! Why do you have to make conversation with me first thing in the morning?!” (Gurrrrr)

“Hon, all I said was good morning.”

Still not looking up, “That’s a start of a conversation, not interested.”

Frustrated, I noticed that he had jeans on, if one could say they were on, with the waist of the pants hanging almost under his tush. (Not meanly, If anybody reading still does this, no judging here, but…why?🙄)

I then calmly said, “Well, pull your pants up!!”

Still, without looking up (I mean, how long does it take to make a couple of eggs?), he gently jumped up and down once, and they fell to the ground. Me…GURRRRRRRRRRRR. Mental slap behind his head as I walked passed.

Don’t Blink.

After graduating from high school, he moved away to a college in Sacramento. I saw him only during holidays in those years. Towards the end of his final year, we met at a mutual friend’s house for dinner. I was distant from the door but could see him being welcomed in.

I saw this handsome young man, hair combed, shirt pressed and tucked in…into…slacks?…that fit perfectly and with a…a…belt!! 😳 What the….! This is MY SON?? Tears started to bubble up on their own. He’s a young man? When did THIS happen? He gave me an amazing, tight hug when we saw each other, which brought me back to the room in joy. During dinner, he was honestly polite and spoke knowledgeably and respectfully. I had to keep blinking and pinching myself to realize that he had grown up.

That aggravating teenager, now a hard-working neurologist as chief of staff for two hospitals, has a teenager and another right behind her. He is one of the kindest and most caring people you would ever want to meet.💖

Don’t Blink.

The surprising changes from boys to men happened with all of my boys at different times, but blinking is something I did pretty often, especially when they weren’t home for months.

My two oldest sons were always mischievous. I remember working at a carnival booth with the teens to raise money. The twins were done and went to get on some rides. About an hour later, I saw one of them running past the booth as if he was being chased and yelled, “Hi, Mom.” And then, the other ran past, waving to me with a few friends not far behind him. Not even a second later, three policemen were running just as fast to catch them. Apparently, a misunderstanding between some teens from another school escalated, and it wasn’t pretty. I took a breath, rolled my eyes, and said to the woman next to me, “Here we go again.” 🙄

Years later, when the second oldest received an honorable discharge from the Air Force and married, he held his first child right after birth. His tears spoke volumes of how he had matured and would love and protect this child with all his heart.

Don’t Blink.

When my youngest joined the Peace Corps after college and went to Madagascar for two years, it was life-changing for him. The experience of living in a small village with no electricity or running water changed this boy from feeling entitled and with an attitude to someone with a deep appreciation for life. He could not wait to step out and change the world with compassion, humility, and a zest for experiences.

And he did. In the beginning, he has helped small businesses to achieve success; and is now in training to become a nurse to give his gifts of compassion to those in need. I was in awe of who he had become.

Don’t Blink.

The Takeaway

You see, I believe there is a movie projector that lives in our hearts. It collects the stories from our lives and waits patiently for the opportunity to be clicked back on to help us feel the abundance of those experiences again.

It is mind-blowing to see my oldest closing in on fifty in a few years and the other boys not too far behind, especially when I look into their eyes and the movie projector starts to play again in fast motion from the days of their youth.

We have rare and beautiful treasures flowing through our lives all the time that will become memories before we can even blink. So, if we can slow down, take it all in, and take every breath we are given for what it’s worth, as Kenny expresses through his song, we can capture these moments in full awareness of the gifts we have been given.🦋

Thoughts to ponder:

And how about you? What treasures have been flowing through your lives and being captured in your movie projector?

A video that will raise your heart up in remembrance. Don’t Blink.

©2023 Terry Pottinger

Thank you for stopping by.🌷 Your reading and responding is always a gift to me. If you feel someone would benefit from this story, please pass it along.