Old folks

  Do you remember when your parents were old? I remember when I thought just that. I was telling my wife some of the old family stories when I realized that. I did think my parents were old, when they were in their forties. My mother was 24 years old when I was born. So, Mom was forty two when I graduated high school. My father would have been forty seven. Old people? Well now that perspective has certainly changed. In thinking about the stories, the things that they both said and did, I have a new understanding. They were young people doing the best they could. I know that I did things in my thirties and forties that certainly couldn't be called mature. Yeah, I figured I was all grown up then, but that wasn't the case at all. Truth is, I'm still not grown up, and I now expect I never will be. I don't think I'm ever going to get old, not really old, you know, like parents old. 

  The other day my son and his wife were talking about their son going on vacation. He is going to Disney. They, my grandson and his significant other, have saved and planned for this for quite some time. It isn't an inexpensive proposition. But reservations have been made, and plans formulated. My daughter in law has some reservations about the whole thing. Those "kids" have college loans to pay for, not to mention all the other everyday expenses. She is concerned about the amount of time they will have to drive, the distance they are driving, all that stuff that parents worry about. As I listened I couldn't help but think, she sounds like my mother. Yes, I could hear my parents talking, telling me the same thing, I wasn't like that as a parent though, I was cool. Weren't we all? I don't recall every telling my boys anything like that, just good sound advice and common sense!

  Now I know that I am a grandfather to two teenagers and one in his early twenties. I'm not old though. I'm only sixty seven. That certainly isn't old. Yes there was a time when I thought otherwise, but I was wrong. I can admit when I'm wrong. I thought Dad was old when he bought that motorcycle, but he was only about forty five. Mom thought he was too old for a motorcycle and yes he had a minor accident on it but now I understand why he bought it. I know why he bought that two seater sports car shortly after that too. He wasn't too old for those things. Yeah and now I know why she wanted a convertible and to get her hair done in the beauty salon. And yes, Mom was fashion forward. Well, not overly so, but still. She was still young enough. They both stayed young their entire lives. Dad passed when he was sixty six and Mom lived to see ninety two. It's strange how they seemed to get a bit younger every year I was getting older. Now I'm getting younger. I know that in listening to my son and daughter in law. They are beginning to sound like old folks. Isn't that the funniest thing?

  We are all products of the times, to a certain extent. I was never one to grab onto the latest and greatest thing. No, I'm not much a follower of fad and fashion. Still, I'm not a nerd either. My parents were reacting to their times. Their earliest memories were off the great depression, then world war two. Both of those certainly influenced everything. They also saw the boom of post war America. They saw the advent of television, transistors and microwave ovens. Then they saw the hippies, I wasn't one of them, and a general change in attitude throughout the nation. Those were the things that shaped them. With age comes wisdom? Well not necessarily. Age does carry experience along with it however. Some things we just want to try all over again, like riding a motorcycle. So I've decided I'm not old, I'm experienced. I'm past being old. Parents are old, grandparents are not. Sounds right to me.