Every day I get many reminders that my salad days are over: knee pains, sciatica shooting down my right leg and overall stiffness. But what really reminds me of this inevitable fact is when I see the young in operation.
Two of my granddaughters, 27 and 25, arrived Saturday from Myrtle Beach SC where they share a house. The elder one, an internet advertising executive, will be married next October 1 on the beach in Myrtle Beach, while the other is a natural-born superb teacher, who started teaching kindergarten and, by dint of being considered the best teacher in the school, was made Developmental Reading teacher. They both are great joys in my wife's and my life, as well as to their parents, my eldest daughter and husband.
Back to the subject of realizing my longevity, watching these two tackle the job of decorating the Christmas Tree, the house and the outside lights was miraculously quick. It probably would have taken me three days, with help, to achieve what they did in about two hours. Then, to top it off, they waltzed over to a beachfront condo we own and rent and, within a few minutes, had that condo decorated so that her sisters, spouses and children would arrive to a festive scene. (We don't rent the condo over the holidays but always keep if for the family.)
Hey, I may have aches and pains ---but I'm grateful for all the help I can get, and this dynamic duo take the pain and pressure out of the holidays.
Who says growing old is all bad? Robert Browning got it right: the best is yet to be, especially when you have the right kind of help!
Youth is wasted on the young.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right Grumpy but I tell you this, you guys remind me occasionally how lucky I am. I've had a great retirement and the thing about it is, it's not over. I know so many who have worked up to the age retirement and never make it, or retire and last only a short, short while. In addition, I have good kids, good grandkids who help out along the way. FPF, maybe it's all in the way you feel and the help you get along the way. Whatever, a holiday toast to the both of you. I'm convinced the world would be a better place if more of you were around. So here's to you.
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