I Remember, One In Particular- Bill's Challenge

[Paul de Denus]

I remember snapshots from earlier years, the age of eleven particularly, some images important, some alien, as if another person’s life superimposed over mine.

I remember turning twenty-one, drunk and drowning in the lusts of youth, empty and lonely as hell.

I remember turning thirty-one, lucky enough to have found her, in disbelief that she would spend the rest of her life with me.

I remember becoming a father at forty-one and watching the page turn to another amazing story with ups and downs and twists and turns and quickly understanding who I was, who I wasn’t and who I wanted to be.

I remember fifty-one; not a big deal at all… other than the remaining fifties burning by quickly as if they were but one single year.

I remember sixty-one being a bigger deal; the previous year blinking by so fast I was stunned and here now, the next number rapidly approaching; I see less in front than all the memories left behind.

[Bill Floyd]

Yes, superb.  You manage to make the reader feel the impact of time, its implacability.  You also sound like you're cool with it, which is heartening in ways more implied than explicit.   

[Mike Handley]

What everyone else said. Superb, Paul. Truly.

[Judy Thompson]

oh it's always the age thing that gets to us, isnt it. My own big deal age was 65, and that notice from Medicare. yeow.

I've stopped putting the christmas ornaments away, just leave them at the top of the attic stairs, since it seems Christmas does indeed come once a month, now.

You have my sympathy, admiration, and a hug for making it this far relatively unscathed. Nice job, Paul.

[Teresa]

I clung to the central message in this:  Cherish it all!  It's blowing by so fast!  So true.  I think we do, though.  All of us.  Because we write.  I pictured the head of a typical writer today, a red glowing "RECORDING" button buried in the center of it.  And always turned on.  Great six.

[Angela]

Terrific approach and fine message, Paul.  I like the way you ran the decades using ones instead of zeros. 

[Kay Sera]

well, I'm only up to sentence two in age, but I can imagine this is how it will feel. 

[Sandra Davies]

There's a rhythmical gallop to this - just like life - speeding up at the end gets closer.   Horribly familiar.   Well said.