WHEN IT IS GREAT TO GET OLDER

I can remember when I was a preteen, and even in my teen years, how I couldn’t wait to get older to be able to drive or join the service or go to college, or just to get a job. Not all those things are great shakes in themselves, but they do mark milestones in people’s lives.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting my older sister (much older) and sitting there was her oldest, Laurie. Laurie is my oldest niece, my first claim to being an uncle. She‘s a teacher and has been for many years, and is married to a teacher. In fact there are so many teachers in my and TLW’s (The Little Woman) families, that whenever I have a get together like a graduation, there are so many teachers standing around, you have to raise your hand to leave the room if you want to get to the toilet!

Next to me at the dinner was my Mom, 89 in May and still volunteering at the local hospital with a “Boy Friend” in tow. I thought about the fact that she now has great grandchildren, and that her grandchildren are all making contributions to society, not necessarily as teachers, but in TV and movies, business and the arts, education, nursing, and maybe someday even a doctor or two. I think it is marvelous that from this little old lady while still cutting my meat, with 5 children grew so much pleasure in all our lives! I am very proud of my sons and nieces and nephews, creating and building from what their parents left off at, all good things happening so quickly and it seems so suddenly.

I remember when they came to us as children to adults, asking for help or direction, soliciting our opinions, and now, as they travel the world, do new things, learn new technologies, it is we the older generation that must look to them and ask for help.

It was yesterday that I got my drivers license, and now today the baby of the family has his, wow, where does the time go?

So to all you parents, uncles and aunts, grandparents and great uncles and aunts: Congratulations, you are experiencing this very same joy!