T'is the Season!

On my drive home after dropping Susan at the shop this morning, the radio was on the  station that plays non-stop Christmas music starting on Thanksgiving. Actually, this year, I remember griping about the fact that they actually started playing this music a week before Thanksgiving.I remember complaining to my family that I hate the fact that we no longer get to enjoy things in season. Christmas carols should be sung after Thanksgiving...never before!
Back to school specials in stores should not start in mid July. 
Black Friday is a 1 day event, not a month long celebration.
And the 4th of July is a day, not a month!
Susan told me that in one store that she shops at regularly, they had already moved Christmas to the dumps where they put the sell down merchandise and converted the prime sales space to Spring items.
Can we just slow down!
Back to the radio. It dawned on me that in less than 72 hours this "holiday " season will be behind us. And a week later, another year gone.Poof, just like that 2016 will no longer exist. It will be 2017. Remember when you were in grade school? That first day or so back after the New Year's break. When on the top of your homework  after putting your name in the upper corner, you put the date and invariably you forgot to change the year? 
I remember getting my assignment back with that big red circle around the date .
That red circle should have served as a warning. Time flies by too quickly. And when it's gone , it's gone!
The red circle screamed at me"get with the program!" 
Move on!
Go, go, go go go!
It's Winter time. We as humans have adapted to Winter. We put on extra clothes. We turn up the heat. All other living things seem to understand that Winter marks a time for change. A time to slow down. A time to hibernate. A time to rest and draw upon our reserves until the next growing season comes upon us.
Instead we just plow on as if Winter doesn't exist. 
Snow?
We used to have snow tires. Now we have all wheel drive and 4 wheel drive.
We ignore what every other life form understands to be a critical part of life.
I don't like rushing through life.
It saddens me.
I wrote earlier in the week that by today's standards I have approximately 4000 days left to live. Since then 4 days have passed. That's 1/10 of 1%. It doesn't seem like a big deal ,but just wait. Before I know it that will become 1% and then 10% . 
You see where this is going?
It's a reminder to me to just slow things down.Enjoy today.One day at a time.
Tonight we light Shabbat candles . It is a weekly reminder to slow down, to shut down,to regroup, And to cherish every single day,week and season in its own time
Shabbat Shalom!