Time Flies

Time does sneak up on you. I cannot remember the first time I noticed that I was older than the movie stars and celebrity athletes. All of a sudden, I realized that I no longer idolized these people, largely because I myself was already older! As a little girl, my friends and I would talk about these people, wide-eyed and excited, and day-dream about being like them when we grew up. Then one day I realized that I grew up, and I lost interest in following their words and actions like a groupie.

Britain’s parliamentary elections happened today. I have not followed the elections, although I know that the Tories are likely coming back in power. The leader of the Tories, David Cameron, is considered a fairly young politician, at the age of 43. Of course that fact in itself is nothing surprising, since Tony Blair became the Prime Minister at the age of 44. Bill Clinton was a couple of years older when he was elected in 1992. And JFK was elected at the age of 43, making him the youngest American president ever.

A trivial fact that caught my attention is the age of David Cameron’s wife Samantha, who has just turned 39. She’s expecting the couple’s fourth child.

It is hard not to notice some of the similarities between the Camerons and the Kennedys. Both couples came from money and power, received privileged education and grew up in privilege. Jackie Kennedy was pregnant during the presidential campaign as well.

Katharine Graham wrote about her excitement during the 1960 presidential election, as it was the first time that the person who might become the president was the same age as she was, as opposed to someone much older. It made her feel empowered and energized. It gave her a sense that something important would happen, and that she was seeing history made in front of her.

Perhaps it is because I am merely a distant observer as opposed to a participant of the UK parliamentary elections; perhaps it is because lately the news have all been rather dismal on all fronts in the world, with the economy showing signs of weakness over and over again; perhaps it is because I now realize that starting another company on the heels of my previous success remains as challenging as before if not more, due to various factors, not the least of which is the deepening recession and worsening investor confidence; and perhaps it is because I still live in this depressing house where the winds are often howling at 30 mph – well, instead of feeling “energized” by the recognition that the likely future First Lady of UK is the same age as me, I feel OLD.

In the movie “An Education”, after she finally realized her stupidity behind her relationship with a much older man, Jenny said, “I feel old, but not very wise.” - Is that how I feel as well?

Time does fly.