Where does the time go?

I know that is a question that we ask ourselves often, and, true to our parents warning as we get older the time only goes faster! I find it to be especially true since I live by the calendar, my life is mapped out over a year in advance and I find myself living from event to event ticking them off like minutes off of a clock. All of a sudden you stop and look around and realize that so much time has gone by... did I relish every moment? Did I sweat the small stuff? Did I take the time to really appreciate my life, my family, my friends? I am thinking it is a no, yes, no and that really bums me out! Looking back at my life I have already had an extremely full one! I have a wonderful family, that includes a great mother, awesome husband, 2 wonderful sons, a soon to be daughter-in-law, a brother, and, an extended family I married into. My family has sacrificed a lot in order for me to live my dream as it were. The sport of dog agility has taken me all over the world, allowed me to meet some fantastic people, see some incredible places, and, make some lifelong friends. I have been fortunate enough to be very successful in agility, not just the competition part of agility but also as a teacher and mentor. In all honesty when I really take the time to think about the path I have traveled I am pretty much in awe of all that has been afforded me while I play a wonderful game. It is a tiny bit bittersweet though... In all of those years, I have seen relationships come and go, the ability to make some friends that will be with me for the rest of my life and some that although very special have sort of gone away for various reasons, this makes me sad. I have had to say good bye to dogs that in my mind should have lived forever. That is the main reason for my rather reflective mood this evening, Able my very special chicken boy is getting older by the minute and is but a mere shadow of the vivacious, crazy, sometimes scary, soulmate that took me on so many agility journeys over the years. We had to go to the vet today because he has an infection that I was all but positive was cancer... it is not thank goodness, however, he is still so very weak in his rear end and although his eyes, albeit a little cloudy, still have that mischievious sparkle he just can't do all of the things that made "his" life complete. He is still here and I will cherish every day I still have with him, I also miss him already. Able and I are a very special team, he did things and helped me do things I never thought possible and for that I will be forever grateful and will always have a large part of my heart tattooed with his name. The thought of losing these very special members of our family is almost enough to make me not want to have dogs, almost :-) The awesomeness that they bring to our lives cannot be replaced or duplicated and even though that horrible day comes where we have to say good bye, I would not trade the time with them for anything in the World. I have been a bit melancholy lately and sort of lacking in motivation, I think it is natural in all humans although I am not one to allow myself such times. In any case The aging of my beautiful pups has really been bothering me of late, I think just writing it down, realizing what they have brought to my life and what adventures lay ahead will be a big help in getting my mojo back and moving forward to my next goal... Tomorrow, I will appreciate what I have, look to the future, embrace the here and now, and, spend some special me and Able time.