What is the formula for perceiving change?
My children grow a little bit every day, but I don't notice it. Then one day I stumble backwards upon realizing that I can no longer yank Lily's size twelve month bloomers over her diapered butt.
When I diet I am losing a bit of weight each day, but nobody sees it. Then one glorious day people look at me and really see me and say things like, "Wow, are you working out?", "Is that a mirror in your pocket? Because I can really see myself in your pants?", and "Have you lost weight?"
It's more likely that people are noticing my increasing fatness, but I chose (dangit!) to go the positive route and focus on ancient history and my memories of weight loss.
One day I looked in the mirror and realized I was middle-aged. When did that happen?
What is the secret formula?
X amount of change = Y where Y= it becoming apparent to the naked eye?
I want to take the mystery out of it so I can pad myself properly in anticipation of the big moment.
That is very true, when I lost weight we didn't realize just how much weight I had gained until we looked at photos' of myself from 2 years ago and compared to current. It was like WOW, but the loss was so gradual that it wasn't really noticed while it was ongoing.
ReplyDelete.-= Dragon Blogger´s last blog ..SponsoredReviews: Not FTC Compliant? =-.
Ah, I guess until something drastic happens, that would be the time when people start noticing.
ReplyDeleteMiddle aged? Okay, that happens, but the way we think and the way we act reflect a lot on the age we are perceived. :)
At least here, we are ageless beings surfing with the immortality of the internet.
Z
.-= Zorlone´s last blog ..Diary of a Broken Heart =-.
"One day I looked in the mirror and realized I was middle-aged. When did that happen?"
ReplyDeleteSharpen your kitchen knives. People would now start calling you elegant.
There's enough sunshine in me to get me through most days. But there's an injunction: never to look in the mirror and I'd be all right.
.-= jan geronimo´s last blog ..27 Reasons Why Jena Isle’s Inspirational Book Rocks =-.
When we adopted our dog, Ivy, 3 years ago her whole body was the same size her head is today. It happened so fast, yet I still missed it.
ReplyDeleteAnd just when did mid-life sneak up on me. So kind of you to point that out. ;) This would be why us "old folks" say age is only a number. It really is about perception. Now where is that hair coloring?
.-= Anne´s last blog ..Free Digital Cookbooks =-.
All true Heather! Now same kinds of experiences are flowing back.
ReplyDeletePeople would just simply easily notice those things are quite drastic, but when it is a gradual change nobody seems to make a big fuss about it.
Oh, perception, perception...And what is pissing me off is when people will most often then not take notice of the negative things than those of the more beautiful and wonderful things happening on you.
I am in denial. COMPLETELY.
ReplyDeleteYou are so gloriously deep, Zorlone!
ReplyDeleteCameras are the devil!
ReplyDeleteAnne, let's start a gray revolution!!! (Not to be confused with the gay revolution, which is already in progress...)
ReplyDeleteLOL Jan, I like "elegant". I am anything but! My Nana was elegant lol
ReplyDeleteI love "There's enough sunshine in me to get me through most days". How poetic!
It's not just a river in Egypt! (What are you... 25? lol)
ReplyDeleteElmot, I love how you get pissed off rather than saddened by those who are unable to perceive beauty in their surroundings. That means you have fire in you.
ReplyDeleteHappiness is surely a by-product of appreciation. Those who have never been without simply can not SEE, nor can they appreciate.
One colleague, when asked about her age, replied: " My waistline is 39 but my heart is 19."
ReplyDeleteAnd how true! It's only with the heart that we truly age or stay young.
Physiologically, most women gain weight as they age. The challenging responsibility of rearing children burns the hours away like rocket fuel, and before we know it -viola! we are middle-aged and overweight. lol
But seeing our children grow to be happy adults, makes it all worthwhile.
.-= Jena Isle´s last blog ..The Inspirational Book is Finally Here =-.
Agreed! I am so lucky to watch my kids grow.
ReplyDeleteI just hope I live to see the day when American women are judged on things other than the quality of their physical appearance. Where I live, to not be young and beautiful is akin to failure. It seems to be a responsibility you owe the world.
I am going to start saying "poo poo on that"! My kids are happy, and that is more important to me than the bulbous quality of my badonk a donk.
Finally we have an answer! My Mom just told me that we don't notice change until it achieves critical mass.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Now this post reminded me that I'm getting old, physically, by the day. My kid too, is growing up fast - a couple of years or so and she'll enter puberty.
ReplyDeleteBut, I've also always thought of what would happen if time freezes so that change won't happen... I think we won't learn how to appreciate what is happening around us!
.-= Gem´s last blog ..The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind =-.
Hi, Gem! I agree.
ReplyDeleteI don't want change to stop occurring. I love change. I just think it's interesting how it's happening all around us and we don't even notice. Until that ONE moment when we do...
Another pithy post, both poignant and funny. Love your graphic. :o)
ReplyDeleteI think the thing about change is to live in such a way that when our perception of its latest manifestation pokes us in the eye, it won't evoke painful regrets.
Hmm, why did those mean-looking faces appear with my post? My teeth aren't pointy and I do love your graphic!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rosemary! xo
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Nothing is as painful as regret. We should muster the courage NOW.
OH, and by the way - the BIG smile is colon followed by a capital D.
ReplyDeleteAwww, that is so cute. I was using an automated avatar generator called "wavatar". It generates random funny faces, some of them mad. Also, for your smilie you may have entered a colon followed by an o to indicate a smile & Wordpress generated that strange face.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry it caused you stress! Don't worry, I can FEEL your smile. :D