As octogenarians, my Mom and Dad are definitely categorized as being in their "golden years". I have found that my interpretation of the "golden years" was very much the same as my interpretation of the "empty nesters"...way off the mark!
The only information I ever had about these stages of life was negative and came from other people...people who were either experiencing these times themselves or had "heard" of others who had "been there".
When I stepped into the "empty nest" stage of my life I found it to be refreshing...not so bad at all! I found humor in the everyday "brain spasms" I had and even the fact that I have slowed down a bit. But, that's me. There are so many things in this world to worry about that you DO have control over, that worrying about things in God's hands is not worth the time or effort it takes. It's all about faith...I leave that stuff up to Him, and I know that He will take good care of it.
I think my Mom has the same attitude about the "golden years". She takes each day with stride. Although she likes to share each ache and pain with you...each comment from the doctor...which new medication she is on...the dose...the reason she is taking it...yadayadayada...she is for the most part content with her life. After all, that IS her life!
We admitted Mom to the hospital last night as a precautionary measure. She has been fighting a respiratory infection and it has not improved...even with the doctor's mega prescriptions. He felt it best to admit her so that they could monitor her and make sure that pneumonia did not set in.
So her nurse, Doris, was asking her the usual questions for her file...which things had she suffered from in the past or was currently suffering from. As I listened to her answer these questions I realized that she really was in great shape for 86 years old! No history of heart problems...no strokes...no arthritis...no diabetes...no replacements (knee, hip, etc)...only one surgery (gall bladder a few years ago)...good eyesight (although she does have a few cataracts that the doctor "just chooses not to do anything about"...her words)! I commented to the nurse that she could run a marathon if she was not short of breath right now from this infection!
Then she asked Mom if she had dentures. "Nope...they're all mine! As a matter of fact I was just counting them the other day to see how many I still had!"
What a hoot! I laughed until I had tears running down my face...as did my Dad, I might add. She is most definitely living this stage of her life with humor.
Lesson number 1,732,815 learned!
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