The Middle

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry

It doesn’t matter if we’re celebrating
the best thing that ever happened,
or staring at our heart lying on the floor
in millions of tiny pieces.
Time moves ahead (seemingly)
as if we pushed the fast forward button.
Those hands on the analog clock
have a mind of their own,
turning and turning, making our heads spin,
wondering where the hours have gone.
Where have the hours gone?
How does a decade ago feel like yesterday?
Why does my mind tell me I’m forty
when my driver’s license tells me I’m wrong?
Just yesterday, my daughter and son
played with Lego and Barbies.
Today they’re adulting, living with
bills that show up in the mailbox
on a monthly basis. Always prompt.
Just yesterday, I took my last photo
of our senior pup, not knowing
it would be the last photo
I would take of him.
Right now, a man in his seventies
is undergoing bypass surgery.
Just yesterday, he and his wife
were walking on one of their
routine five-mile daily walks.
Time is precious. Do we need reminding?
We’ve heard it before,
but have we ruminated on the concept,
held it in the palm of our hand,
massaged it, comprehending?
This is the question
as the conveyor belt of life
carries us from here to there, wind in our face.
But do we notice what’s in the middle?
Because in the middle is what we shouldn’t miss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.
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136 thoughts on “The Middle”

  4. Thank you for this…all of this, Lauren. Where do the hours go? Thank you for the encouragement to slow down so we don’t miss the goodness right in front of us. 💕💕💕

    Reply

      1. So good. Especially the reminder about those “last moments”. As you know so well from that last pic of sweet Copper – take nothing for granted. Perfect nudge for me today. Much love! 🥰

      2. Ahh, I doubt it, but can you send me the link? I feel so bad because I can’t keep up with the reading. Maybe when I retire, I’ll be able to. Anyway, I’ll check your post out later. Thanks, Brian! Have a great day!

      3. You can’t even try to keep up. There’s just too much content out there. I try to read favorites that inspire me and get me thinking but I know I miss a lot. And then WP sometimes makes mistakes. I feel like I subscribe to some bloggers but I don’t always see their content within Reader. Oh I’m sure it’s me — user error but still frustrating. Ha ha! Anyway, great post lauren!

  13. Someone once reminded me that between the two dates of a person’s beginning and ending, there is a dash. What counts is what we do with the dash. Your poem is a reminder to cherish the moments and those who we love. Wonderful , Lauren!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Maggie, I agree with you, and I’m so glad you liked this reminder. Something unexpected happened this week that sparked this poem. Life is precious! Hugs and lots of love to you too, dear friend! xoxoxoxo

      Reply

  19. Ahhh that last line, Lauren, “Because in the middle is what we shouldn’t miss.”
    Wonderful sentiments of how life keeps going and if we blink we will miss it! Love the reflections so well penned!~💕

    Reply
  22. petespringer's avatar petespringerauthor

    Great piece, Lauren! I especially like the reference to the “conveyer belt of life.” You’re writing about a subject that most of us think about. Everything people told me about the years seemingly going faster the older we get has held true for me. I feel like I got a tune-up two years ago when I received a pacemaker. I intend to make every moment count.

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Pete! My husband and I talk about this all the time, and then something happened this week that was an eye-opener, prompting this poem. I’m glad you got a tune-up and hope you’re doing well. Making every moment, every day count is what we should do. I appreciate your kind words!

      Reply

  23. This post reminds us that time flies so fast. Every moment counts. Laugh with our family as much as we can. Have mini-breaks, and enjoy nature. It makes life joyful in some way. Amazing post, Lauren. Hugs and love to you and your family

    Reply

    1. Your comment is spot on, Hazel, and exactly what my poem conveys. Life is a gift, each day is precious, so live fully and enjoy family and nature. Thank you for your lovely words, and hugs and love to you! 💞

      Reply
  24. jeaninethomas's avatar jeaninethomas

    Beautifully written and it certainly resonates. It makes me want to look for the beauty in the little moments I take for granted daily. We never know when time is up. Loved the lines about your daughter and son playing with Legos and Barbies, now they’re adulting with bills. Made me want to hug my babies a little tighter and run outside to make bubbles a little longer. Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece with us.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jeanine, thank you for your beautiful comment, and I’m so glad my poem resonates. It’s hard to believe that our daughter is 33 and our son almost 30. Where have the hours gone? Where have the years gone? Time will always be a mystery. I love your idea of running outside to make bubbles a little longer. Yes, hug your babies and blow those bubbles because they grow so fast. But enjoy watching them grow too. Each stage with our ‘kids’ has been wonderful. We’re all close and they’re wonderful human beings, so we couldn’t be prouder. Thank you again! 💕

      Reply

  28. Time is something Hubby and I (especially he) talk about all the time. When it comes to Thursday or Friday, he said, the week is almost over. I can’t believe we moved here two years and four months ago.

    Your poem is beautiful and a great reminder for anyone to treasure the here and now.

    I saw Liz’s comment and laughed. When we told our 7-year-old granddaughter she could do such and such tomorrow, she would say “Tomorrow is a long time! I want it now.”

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your wonderful comment, Miriam, and I can’t believe it’s been over two years since you moved either! 🙂 I’m happy you liked my poem. We talk about time often too. It’s mystifying, isn’t it? How it goes faster as we get older…but live life fully, and enjoy the here and now.

      Your granddaughter’s comment made me smile. The perspective from a child is precious! Have a good weekend! 💖

      Reply

  29. Love this, Lauren ❤️You’re so right, time seems to speed up as we get older. Your kids growing up, your pup’s passing… it’s all just a reminder to appreciate the little things.
    This also reminds me of a quote: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for your wonderful words, Ritish, and I love that quote! It’s exactly what my poem is all about. You’ll miss ‘the middle’ if you don’t take the time to look around. By the way, I’ll post my review of your book on Amazon and Goodreads soon, but a blog post will come later in the month. Have a good day, and thanks again!

      Reply

      1. Your poem really does make you pause and look around at life’s quiet magic. And, thanks so much ❤️, Lauren. I’m really looking forward to your thoughts, it means a lot that you’re taking the time to share a review. I’m also working on my review of Cora’s Quest, will be posting it on Amazon soon. Just know, that book of yours is something truly special ❤️

      2. Thanks again, Ritish. My hubby and I are (all of a sudden) in our mid sixties, which makes us wonder where those years went. 🙂 And you are so welcome about my review. The stories in your book are goosebump worthy and so inspiring. And thank you so much about my book. I hope you enjoyed Cora’s little adventure. Her story was my first children’s book, so it was a learning experience but a fun adventure of its own. Thanks again, and Keep inspiring your readers! ❤️🙏

      3. I haven’t had a chance to finish Cora’s Quest yet, I’ve been on the road, but I’ll be back Monday and can’t wait to dive into the rest. Honestly, for your first children’s book, you’ve done a beautiful job. It has such heart ❤️

      4. No worries, Ritish, but I appreciate your interest. The good thing is that Cora’s story is short. 🙂 I really appreciate your kind words too. And I look forward to reading your thoughts. Safe travels! 🥰

      5. Hey Lauren, just wanted to let you know I left a review for Cora’s Quest on Amazon. Such a charming and heartfelt story ❤️ really enjoyed the journey. Thanks again for sharing it with the world.

  32. This is a powerful meditation. I can get caught up in my daily schedule and not think about how time passes. But then I take moments to consider it. Taking a walk in the woods is good for that consideration. It’s funny. For me, time can seem fleeting — as your poem describes. Other moments, time feels stretched far. Seeing photos of my daughters as kids can feel like that happened a lifetime ago. Thanks for this poem to remind us to make time (haha) for moments of reflection. 🌞

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Dave, and I think everyone can get caught up in routines (conveyor belt of life). Taking a walk in the woods is one of our favorite things to do for unwinding and unplugging. I appreciate your wonderful comment and am glad my poem serves as a reminder to slow down and reflect.

      Reply

  33. This is beautiful and thought provoking, Lauren. It makes me think of a song my late husband wrote, “Etchings In Stone.” Life really comes down to that little dash between the born and died dates.

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Jan, and so true – it’s all about the dash, the middle, that we should focus on. By the way, my review is live on Amazon and Goodreads, and I’ll do a blog post soon. I hope you’re happy with it. 🥰

      Reply

  34. Well said, Lauren. Slowing down time, or I should say, my perception of time, has been a life long objective. Some things are guaranteed to work, like hiking up a mountain with a backpack on. Recently, I found driving with our trailer for a couple of hundred miles in heavy winds took forever. Grin. Recently, I have lost a lot of friends and family. It happens when you are in the 80s. In addition to grieving over the loss, it is a constant reminder of just how precious life is and how I/we need to appreciate each moment.
    BTW, I have some ideas for your summer backpacking adventure. Do you want me to put them on here or send them via Email.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your wonderful comment, Curt. I smiled when I read this line too: “Recently, I found driving with our trailer for a couple of hundred miles in heavy winds took forever.” But I’m sorry you’ve lost many friends. I know, as we get older, that’s bound to happen. My dad lived to 97 and my father-in-law lived to 100, and they outlived all their friends and siblings. In a sense, it was lonely, but they had their children. Anyway, enjoy each moment. 🙂 You can email me at baydreamer25@gmail.com. Thanks for taking the time, and travel safely!

      Reply

    1. Aww, Eugi, I’m sorry you had a rough week, but I’m so glad my poem brightened your day. Thanks so much for reblogging. I’m heading over now. And I hope you’re doing better too. Sending hugs! 💞🤗

      Reply

      1. You’re welcome, Lauren! I’ve been struggling 2 days with Vivaldi and so frustrated. This morning I began moving everything to Firefox. In the meantime, I read your poem and I thought I need this today! 💖

  40. This is a wonderful poem that reminds us to “Stop and smell the roses”.

    You propound the truth, life is all aboit what’s in the middle.

    Thank you dear Lauren!

    ❦xo🍒xo❦

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for your beautiful comment, Resa. Last week has brought some challenges to a family member; life has changed in a heartbeat, and so this poem was born. I started thinking about life, how fleeting it can be, and how precious it is. I am so grateful for things that some people might think ‘small’ but we just can’t take anything for granted. Have a good Sunday! xoxoxoxo

      Reply

      1. You are so right, Lauren.
        We should take nothing for granted.
        “Stop and smell the roses” goes way back, as a saying.
        It’s as meaningful as ever!
        Have a fab week!
        I’ll be around more, once I get out of my taxes mire.
        xoxoxoxo

  42. Absolutely true Lauren – some food for thought. We know it, read it, hear it but do we really understand it for what it is? Not sure. We always need a reminder – not to miss a single thing in between. As it is in those moments that life is.

    Thank you so much for sharing your lovely poem ❤️❤️

    Reply

  44. The middle is the now Lauren. Time is moving very quickly and some stay lost in the past or worrying about the future, and miss the middle, now. Beautifully evoked. ❤

    Reply

    1. You’re right, Debby. It’s crazy how fast time moves. And it’s easy to get stuck in the past and worry about things that will or won’t happen in the future. It takes a lot of effort to focus on the middle. Thanks so much! 💞

      Reply

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