Michael says he notices his mother aging a little more every time he sees her because he doesn't see her more than two or three times a year. His grandmother- who celebrated her 100th birthday recently - is in a home and mostly doesn't recognize her family anymore. My grandmother and her husband just moved in to a care facility. Michael's sister has a labour intensive job that puts a lot of strain on her body but she keeps picking up shifts because she's worried about money.
When we were in New York on the Highline I tripped over a bench because I'm a clutzy idiot and I broke the skin and it was somewhat ugly to look at, but when it happened I was fearful. I thought maybe it would get infected. Or maybe it was worse than I thought and I would have to go to a hospital and I might pick up something there.
I've never had these thoughts before.
There were an inordinate amout of deer along the highway as we drove home today. On the way up we had passed a dead deer that no doubt a car had hit and, after seeing them congegrating on the side of th highway as we rocketed by at 100 kilometres an hour I was more than a little uneasy. We rounded one tight corner and a car was coming in the opposite direction and he had crossed the median. Not a lot, but enough.
Aside from the fact that I'm getting older, that Michael is getting older, and that our parents are getting older, there was - in the past two weeks - a feeling that, perhaps because we were out of our element, something could go wrong. I could step in front of a speeding taxi. Our plane could hit a flock of geese and have to land in the Hudson. A load could shift on a rig as he rounds a corner on the highway.
But also part of it, like Michael said, is guilt. Guilt that we took a couple of weeks off and did some rather extravagant travelling instead of socking it away so that we could retire even earlier.
And maybe I will change my mind about this, but I still take every day for granted and I don't want to defer these epic experiences in the hopes that they still might be available to me in the future, and that I will be able to enjoy them as abley and fully as I do right now.
Many things about getting old suck, this is one of them. But don't take it as far as the hubby does. He never takes a vacation and is always on call. He rat-holes all the money and says, "you'll be fine when I'm gone. I'm taking care of that now." I guess if someone doesn't like to travel then working yourself to death is the way to do. Thanks honey!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's tough, Judith. Michael can be a bit like that as well. I can see where he's coming from, but life is what we're experiencing right now, not something we're saving up for in the future.
ReplyDeleteI hope you and Jody have a full and rich lifetime of experiences together, enjoyed in great health.