In the blink of an eye

~ Julia

Have you ever stopped to notice how things really only last for a little while? And when something comes to an end, it happens abruptly; silently, with no signs of it happening at all.

Just the other day, I was driving past one of my favourite restaurants, just to see the place had closed down and been replaced by another. Granted I had only been there a few times for special occasions and it had been long since I had gone last, but it still filled me with a huge sense of disappointment. When I had dined there a couple months ago, would I have held the experience in a different light had I known then that it would be my last time having their cheesecake for dessert?

This leads me to another memory from my last few months of high school. It was before we started preparing for our Board exams in earnest, when we still had classes happening instead of just revision periods. One of my classmates made a witty joke in English period, and it had the whole class clutching their bellies from laughing so hard, so much so even our usually stern English teacher joined us.

It wasn't a particularly special incident; that classmate of mine made jokes on the regular and our class would always laugh together in response too. But this time was different for me. This time, a sudden thought jolted me to sobriety in the middle of my giggling... We didn't have many more days of classes remaining. Soon, revision would start, students would choose to stay at home to revise more effectively, and classrooms would never be full again. This could very well be the last time we all burst out laughing to a random joke in the middle of a boring period on a regular way-too-long day of school.

Was this the end of it? Was it really the end of a school experience I had taken for granted for so many years?

And if it was, then where was the warning? Where was the alert to remind me to cherish these moments a little more?

It's not fair. You're telling me that these little moments and little experiences that hold such an important place in our hearts can disappear just like that WITHOUT a notification box popping up mid-air to remind me? Am I just supposed to remain hyperaware about every single thing happening to me every single day, just so I can catch it before it leaves without a trace?

That sounds tiring, but honestly? Worth it. Now sometimes, when I'm spending another day reveling in the bliss of being at my favourite spot with my favourite company, I think of it potentially being the last time before this too comes to an end.

Will I be sad at the thought of it ending? Maybe.

But I'll also smile a little wider, laugh a little louder and love a little harder.

This time, I won't be caught off guard. This time, I'll look back at the memory fondly, knowing I savoured it the best I could.