Aging is Incurable

Seems I've had a lot of posts lately about aging, but it is a condition from which we cannot escape. And recently I was reminded of just how much aging I have done in my lifetime.

My daughter, bless her heart, is coping with empty nest syndrome way better than I did, but there are still those times when she is reminded of how much aging she has done....which in turn makes me feel ancient.

I'm sure it's happened to you .. that moment when you realize you have to do the math again to determine how long ago something happened. You've been comfortable saying "Haven't seen Uncle Hiram for three...wait, five....man, it's been ten years since we saw him. Is he still alive???"

For my daughter, it was being able to say that something happened to her twenty years ago. She does have a child that is over twenty-one now so that shouldn't be so surprising to her but to think of some other momentous occasion and realize that time has passed while you weren't paying attention, although you were there in every moment.... well darn...it can make you do a double-take.

For me is was a quadruple take... to hear my daughter speak of aging the way I used to made me feel like I should be a little apple doll sitting in the corner collecting dust, which, come to think of it, I really do quite often if circumstances allow.

She may have a child over twenty-one but that means I have a grandchild that old. Which makes me think of my child when she turned twenty-one and then myself when I turned twenty-one. THAT was a lo-o-o-o-o-ng time ago. A lot of water has passed beneath my bridge, the one I haven't burned.

And although it makes me fear that my days are growing shorter on this earth, it makes realize that aging is really nothing to fear but rather a reason to celebrate. I am here to see my daughter struggle with this dilemma. I will encourage my grandson, when I see him at Christmas time, to give his mom a hard time about getting on in years (I can hear his smart remark now "Hey Mom, you're gonna catch up with Gama if you don't slow down") And I will try to hold on and share as many memories of the years I have had ... if anyone feels like listening.

Aging is an adventure. Aging is a challenge. Aging is pretty okay when you realize that it has given you a rich history and a lot, and I mean a LOT, of good times with people you love and who love you back :)