Mom Vs. Time Bandits

When I was a child, I loved to read stories about mythical creatures. One of my favorites was a book about elves and fairies. My imagination would traverse through the garden of make-believe and I would envision a world where these little pranksters would wreak havoc on mere mortals, bending time and space. Shakespeare  wrote about these as well in "A Midsummer Night's Dream",the trickster Puck proclaiming "I am that merry wanderer of night". I now find myself believing that there is some truth in these stories of old, not literally of course(my mind has not gone completely around the bend)but rather in a metaphorical sense. At least once a day, one can hear a reference to time and its elusive concept..."Time flies when your having fun", "Where has the time gone?", "I didn't think this day would ever end." Science is too technical on it's definition of time with Einstein's theory of relativity, Quantum physics and Wormholes in Space. How can one term, have so many dimensions? I have decided it must be the work of little creatures, tiny bandits of time, that zip around and warp our consciousnesses. How else could one explain the suddenness with which my children have gone from toddlers who laughed at all my jokes, and loved for me to "wrap them up like a little burrito" when I would tuck them in at night, to independent teenagers who roll their eyes at my corny jokes and  hurry me out of their room at night so they can do their "Homework"? What other explanation could there be when my oldest daughter advises me on health issues, telling her Dad and I to lay off the sugar, and read labels carefully?...that used to be my job. I believe the nano-sized winged monster flies into ones ear, flits around and leaves traces of memory mixed with nostalgia. That would explain how I remember only the good when I look back at the past, but none of the pain. Wow, that is clever, they can actually cause humans to live in the past, rather than look to the future. That is why we should all listen to mom when she says "clean your ears"...if not we would never know how precious the present time is. The  most remarkable aspect of these winged bandits is that they cause me to think about my childhood again. I find that as my children grow up and become adults, I have gone back in time to find myself. Once again I enjoy the things I loved as a kid. When there is no one around at supper time, I can just grab a low-sugary snack, head outside and explore nature. I can sit down and write or blog for hours, or maybe read a book..and finish it. Who knows I might even climb a tree, provided I can find my way down. Motherhood has taught me how to fight these time bandits, or maybe I am just co-existing with them. I still dread the time when the bandits will steal my children from me, and send them away to exotic lands or college, but as  I let them go, I learn to create again,although they were my greatest creation, to imagine again, and look forward to the future with hope and anticipation.  I have now informed my family that if they don't hear from me for a few hours, don't worry, I have probably fallen through the looking glass of time...but I will be back soon, however long that is.