I looked down today as I was typing and saw my mother’s hands – wrinkled, with age spots, slightly shaky. I looked into my mirror today and saw my mother’s face – wrinkled, pale blue eyes, white hair. But she’s not here! my inner child cried. How can I be seeing her? Then I realized it was me I saw – I’ve grown old. I am not as sprightly as once I was. Aches and pains are a normal part of my life now. I’ve gotten slower, but time has sped up.

How can that be? It was only yesterday I was riding my bike with my friends and stealing apples off the sheriff’s tree. It was only yesterday I was eating shrimp pizza at the Spoon across the street from Mac. It was only yesterday I smiled at Roy with tears in my eyes as I became his wife. It was only yesterday I cruised with Mom on Silverseas. It was only yesterday we moved to Orlando in the sun and fun. It was only yesterday Boot Pond became our home. How can it be that sixty-six years have passed when I still feel twelve at times? How can it be we’ve been married thirty-one years? How can it be that that little girl in the fuzzy bear coat is mom to our three-year-old grandson?

Time – it’s a curious thing. It passes so slowly when we’re anticipating something and races by when we’re not looking. And I’ve become my mom. As a needlepoint picture she lovingly crafted for me states:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall – I’m my Mother after all!”