What will my parents say about me when I die? Will they be proud of what I’ve accomplished? Or will they regret the things I’ve done? I’ve always thought there would be a dichotomy between what my parents thought of me and how I felt at the end. But now, as I approach my golden years, I realize there’s no dichotomy. There’s only me.
Wedding Rings
My wife surprised me with a diamond tennis bracelet and matching earrings last month. I was so happy, I cried. It wasn’t just the money – I was deeply moved that she thought enough of our relationship to mark it publicly in this way. In fact, the rings were a gift from my parents, who had given them to my wife’s parents as an engagement present. Seeing the look on my wife’s face as she watched me cry was worth every bit of the pain I had to endure to afford these rings.
The rings stood for the love and devotion my parents have for my wife. And it made me realize the importance that my parents, who are getting a little long in the tooth, place on their grandchildren. They want to see them settled, loved, and happy, and they want the same for themselves. And maybe, in a way, they want to be a part of that happiness themselves. They want to see their grandchildren grow up and be happy with a loving partner and family of their own. They want what’s best for their grandchildren more than they want what’s best for themselves.
Walking
Before I retired, I worked as a financial planner and traveled a lot for my work. One of the things I did a lot of was walk. I got so much joy out of it that I’d sometimes walk for an hour just to make it to my next meeting on time. I still walk on a regular basis, mostly because I love it and it makes me feel better. Since I started exercising more recently, I’ve noticed that my stamina has increased which has really pleased me.
Mountain Climbing
Mountain climbing is another thing I used to do a lot of. I’d get a serious workout whenever I went for a hike or a climbing wall at the gym. It’s a wonderful way to stay fit and enjoy the outdoors. Since I’ve gotten older, it’s been tough going up the walls, but I still walk a lot and I make it a point to go to the gym at least three times a week.
Skiing
I’m not very good at winter sports, but I do enjoy skiing. It’s one of the things I’ve always looked forward to in the winter. One of my favorite activities is to take my son and his friends when they’re young and just getting used to the idea of skiing. We go up and ski a couple of times a week, and it’s a ton of fun. They enjoy it and it builds their strength. We get a group of four, and I’m usually the one holding their hands as they struggle to keep their balance as they ski. It doesn’t matter if they’re beginners or experts, as long as they have fun and don’t hurt themselves, I’m happy.
Traveling
I enjoy traveling and seeing new places and meeting new people. The older I get, the more I want to do. I want to see as much as possible before I go. I want to make the most of what I have left. And I want to spend more time with my family. My wife and I don’t really like to travel alone, so we always try to do as much as possible together. Since she’s retired now, we get to do a lot more together. We’ve traveled a lot in the last few years, and we’ve seen a lot of the places we’d like to see before we die. It’s been wonderful.
My parents are getting older too. They’ve been doing a lot of traveling as well, and they’ve seen a lot of the places they want to see before they die. They’ve done a lot of the things they wanted to do too. They’re happy and fulfilled. They feel like they contributed to the world in a way that was meaningful and that helped others. They’ve made a lot of good friends, which has been great for them. They keep in touch with a lot of those friends, and it makes them feel like they’re leaving a legacy behind. They want to leave the world a better place than they found it. They don’t want to just sit around and grow weaker and weaker. They want to get out there and make new memories. They want to do everything they can to experience as much joy as possible.
What will my parents say about me when I die? We’ll have had our differences in the past, but over the past year, they’ve become a much stronger team. They support each other, and they care for each other deeply. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that they’ve been together for as long as they have. They’re both looking forward to spending their golden years together, enjoying everything life has to offer. They both want to be able to travel the world, see as many places as possible, and make as many new friends as they can. They both want to leave the world a better place than they found it. And maybe, in a way, they want to be a part of that happiness themselves.