It’s already August and I can’t believe it. It seems as though Chloe’s last day of first grade was yesterday. But now we’re just a short time away from second grade.

Time is flying by so fast – the girls grow bigger and smarter and funnier by the day – and I feel the need to make the most of these last few weeks of summer before we turn the page on them.

I came across the commencement speech that J.K. Rowling gave at Harvard in June about the benefits of experiencing failure and the importance of imagination – it was inspiring, and got me thinking about the path my life has taken since my graduation from college. Like almost everyone, I’ve had my share of failures, of course. And I like to thing I learned from them. Will I have any regrets when I’m old and gray? Are there things I’m going to wish I had done or had done differently? Time will tell, I suppose.

Is it enough to be a good and loving parent and spouse, and have a decent job? I sometimes yearn for more. I continue to have days when I wish I owned my own business – and the children’s bookstore dream is still one that I think about – frequently. I keep telling myself that it can’t hurt to create a business plan – but where to find the time? And I’d love to write that novel I started so long ago – but where to find the time? And I’d love to do some meaningful volunteer work – but where to find the time? The days are too short and time is too fleeting.