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I cannot believe that on Friday, it will be the Fourth of July.
How has more than half of the year already passed us by?
Evidently, we blinked.
You know, I may have to super glue my eyes open so that life slows down a little.
How can it be that when you are young, the days, the weeks, the years drag on and on?
Why does it seem like time moves so slowly?
When you are young, it's as if the hands on the clock stand still or are stuck in the same position, day in, day out.
And then, when we are older, we can never get those same clock hands to slow down?
Not for a minute.
Not for a second.
It seems as if it was only yesterday that my grandson, Layne, would be laying on the bed, kicking his legs at warp speed, dancing to whatever music I was listening to on the '70s channel.
Now, he is 2 1/2 and still dancing to the music I play for him. But he is dancing on his own, not with his grandma moving his little legs for him.
I am already missing the days when he was little.
I often scroll through the hundreds of pictures of Layne that I keep on my cell phone.
You can see how much he has changed week by week over the last two years.
It is going way too fast.
I still cherish my Thursday mornings when I get to babysit him for a few hours before coming to work.
I still love being able to see him on Sundays and having lunch with him at my mom's house.
I still love the fact that he likes his grandma and smiles at me for the most part.
For there is nothing better than when your grandchildren likes you.
Not just loves you … but also likes you.
And yes, there is a difference.
Because when it comes to family, we automatically love them no matter what.
It's what we do.
We are taught to love our family members despite everything, because that is simply the way it was meant to be.
But that doesn't mean we have to like them, too.
Liking someone is a lot difficult than loving them.
Fortunately, I love my children (as you already know.) But I also like them.
I like the people they are.
I like the men they have become.
And I like my grandson.
He may not say very much, but he is a very pleasant person most of the time.
He always says "thank you" and "you're welcome" at the appropriate times.
I can only hope he continues to do so throughout his life. Young people need to be taught respect more often.
If I could figure out a way to slow life down, I would happily write a column and share it with you.
Unfortunately, I haven't found that formula, that bit of magic, that miracle, just yet.
On Friday, we will celebrate the Fourth.
Another holiday I could pretty much do without.
While I appreciate what the day represents, I can definitely do without those annoying fireworks.
The noise not only frightens me, but it scares our pets.
This is the time of the year when animals most often run away.
And when they run, they could either get lost or get hit by a car.
Why take that chance?
I would just ask that if you have an animal that you keep outdoors, to please bring them inside while your neighbors are setting off their noisy firecrackers.
Many dogs are terrified of them. Not all, but most.
When my dogs were alive, they hated the noise of fireworks.
I felt awful there wasn't anything that I could do for them.
I used to just hug them fiercely and try to talk to them and calm them down.
But those efforts were futile, even though I am sure they appreciated my trying.
They were such good girls.
And I miss them every day. Still.
Then, there were years when I would try to turn up the television volume.
But a loud TV isn't the best sound in the world either.
It is practically just as annoying as the firecrackers are.
But then a few years ago, I discovered a way that really helped my dogs immensely.
When I began to hear those fireworks starting up, I got out my Bose speaker and turned the music on, playing it loud enough that it drowned out the outside noise.
My dogs went on with their day as if nothing was happening ... as if the Fourth of July had not even come that year.
I would ask that if you have a pet that is afraid, maybe it will work for you, too.
Of course, there are people who set off fireworks weeks before the Fourth and continue for weeks after.
Why?
In these instances, I would suggest … well, I won't tell you what I suggest.
I believe the next holiday we all celebrate is Labor Day.
Labor Day is sort of like the start of autumn, isn't it?
Children have already returned to school.
Festivals are going on.
Football is returning.
People are purchasing Halloween merchandise and preparing to begin their Christmas shopping.
Labor Day is the beginning of it all.
It is the start of the end of the year, and 2025 will be gone before we know it.
And I have no doubt that it will only be a matter of only a few blinks before it happens.
So, please, enjoy your summer while you can.
Enjoy your family. Love your children. Like your children.
Love your grandchildren, your great grandchildren.
Like them, too.
Cherish every single moment you get to see them, you get to hug them.
Do not take one moment, one visit for granted.
You may not get another chance.
Life goes by in a matter of blinks.
And those clock hands aren't slowing down.
Have a Happy Fourth of July and remember your pets.
(Stenger is the community editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times. She can be contacted by e-mailing jstenger@heraldstaronline.com.)