The Great Gob Smack

Family Movie Night

by Karyn Bowman

Today I am going to share the big secret I rediscovered in the last few weeks. Every now and again this one has to smack me upside the head. But every time it does, I swear I have the same shocked reaction.

Time moves on, kids grow up, and I keep getting older.

It hit me seeing pictures of Mallory Boomsma’s wedding from a few weeks back. Our family know Mallory from 4H and I remember when she loved to hold the new baby in our house. That baby is now 13-years-old and doing the same as Mallory. She loves to play with babies.

When did that happen? How did Mallory get old enough to marry and my girl old enough to be as Mallory was way back when? And why do I keep finding gray hairs mixed in my dark locks?

Well, this realization really smacked me in the face, again, when my youngest did not want to watch The Incredibles with me. There was a time when I could bring home the latest animation flick and be called a hero. Nights on the couch with popcorn was the norm and everyone was happy.

Image from IMDb.com

But when I brought home that movie recently, I got snarky comments and rolled eyes. A few days later, I brought home a Goosebumps movie and was a hero once more.

Except, I wasn’t going to watch that movie with them. I was not the least bit interested. This series is poorly made and watching PG horror flicks is not in my wheel house at all.

The pushing of Mom away with youngest child has started. Time is moving on.

Well, at least I can watch The Incredibles if I want and I do.

This is one of those movies that borders on perfection. It lands on my list of perfect movies because the characters mix well together, the angst/conflict is something all of us can relate to (have I settled in my day-to-day life as a grown-up), and the action scenes are, well, incredible.

The story is about how superheroes are put into hiding because of fear and financial damages. It is not easy to go into a 9-5 life when you are used to saving the day.

But that is what Bob and Helen (Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl) do with their three children in a nice quiet suburb of a large metropolitan area somewhere in the USA. A job loss and a potential new sideline throws the family, going through normal isolation issues, into something more serious, more dangerous and potentially bringing the family closer.

I love the dialogue of this movie, the way the family interacts and gives conflicting messages. I enjoy the active discussion about what makes people special and what makes us all ordinary. I love how, for once, the villain is done in by his own callous behavior. And the actions scenes really pump me up whether it is in a burning building or with a giant robot.

It is a movie that I will watch again. Until grand kids show up, I guess I am watching it alone.

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

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The Best Years of Our Lives

I was in the grocery store the other day when two men, younger than me but certainly no longer teenagers, made the comment that they had it good in school and how their kids didn’t get it – yet.

Image by Lady Heart

I have heard that sentiment before. High school being the best years of your life. The dances, the parties, the lack of responsibility, the dating life, the passing of notes behind the teacher’s back, the constant drama.

Really?

Because if the best years of my life are the four years when I was teen who knew little of the world, I want a re-do. More importantly, it says that the remaining 40 or 50 or more years of your life is crap. Shouldn’t we just kill ourselves if those are the best years of our life?

That is not how I remember it. Then again I was the kid who was picked on for being different – whatever that was. But it didn’t stop me. I still wrote bad poetry, played on the tennis team and went out for plays. And I hung out with friends.

You might notice that people say it would be college or your twenties or your thirties. Now I hear how 50 is the new 30. The rules are constantly changing as to the best time because,  in truth, no one wants to believe those four years in your teens could ever only be the only best years.

If you ask me, it is usually wherever I am at  in that moment. Maybe it is my desire to make lemonade out of lemons whenever possible but I also refuse to be way laid by regret.

Which doesn’t mean I don’t have them. There are things I wish I had done and things I wish I hadn’t done. I wish I had travelled more and seen a few things before kids came into the picture. But for the most part, I have no regrets. I have had the life I wanted.

Ten years ago was great because the kids were littler and at home. Ten years before that I was about to have my first child. Ten years from now is going to be interesting because I should have only one child living at

Image by Dantada

home. Watching them grow and change has made my life interesting. If I had not had kids perhaps I would have gone into a career that is round the clock because I do like to stay busy.

 

But to base life’s happiness on those four years of high school would be insane. It is a road to madness when you are constantly looking back and wishing you could be where you came from and there is no hope of going back.

Who would ever want to do that?