My dad is fond of saying this. Indeed, my parents have had a rough year or so with their health. It takes a lot more strength to do the things that you took for granted in the past.
I am blessed to be able to call up my parents and meet them for breakfast. We did this on Saturday as a matter of fact. I drove down to their house and we took a nice ride down highway 55 to a Cracker Barrel in Festus, MO. They have a low carb menu that works with dad’s diabetes.
It’s an interesting dynamic as I sit on one side of the table and see my parent’s aging. The daily battle against their health challenges hasn’t dampened their spirits though. There’s a lot of strength there. They probably don’t realize it. But they are fighting harder now for the ‘normal’ life that younger people just simply live. Those stairs are now a chore to climb… The pill boxes seem to getter fuller and fuller each year… The costs for their healthcare is breathtakingly horrid.
I wonder selfishly what I will be like when these things begin to befall me. Will I have that strength to fight a little harder for normal life? I’m not sure. I can already feel my age taking it’s toll on me. There is a lot of frustration when you can’t hear as well as you used to or your back aches all the time… My whole body just wants to slow down.
I admire my parents. They are strong people. My aging is helping me to see things a lot differently. When I get frustrated because that ‘old’ person in the store is in my way or moving slowly, I need to remember that they may be getting around with great effort and battling many more challenges just to take those steps or read those labels or hear me when I say “excuse me”…
Sometimes we need a view from the other side of the table.