Different Strokes

A really good friend of mine's mom had not one, but two strokes a couple of weeks ago. It all happened right at the time Ronnie past away so I wasn't able to fully process it.

She spent about two weeks in the ICU before finally being transferred to the stroke floor at the hospital for a long journey of physical, occupational, and speech therapies to get herself as close to normal as she can get once again. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit her earlier this week and I'm so glad I did.

I must say that this has hit me a bit harder than it probably should. I think I'm beginning to realize just how old I am getting. This is the first of many incidents where my generation of friends will have to rise up to the needs of our parents as they age. The harsh reality is that we are getting older and that means those around us are too.

As we all grow up, we think our parents and grandparents are so old. We think life is guaranteed until we get to be that age. And we think we are immune from the hardships that come with aging. And then one fateful day, like the one I had a couple of weeks ago, we realize this is not the case. We are the age our parents were when they started out their "young" adult lives. Our parents are now getting to the age of our grandparents when we thought they were so old (and wise). Life is changing as we know it.

A new journey of caring for those we love is starting. But it's not a sad journey, just a little bit of a scary one. I'm not sure what comes next but I do know that I'm not ready to lose any more loved ones for a very long time. I'm not ready to mourn those who are living, but do realize that life is not a guarantee... and easy aging is not a guarantee either.

I am ready to navigate the resources available to my parents and grandparents so I can be ready to help my friends out as their parents and grandparents need services. I am ready to see what joy aging brings my parents as they get to slow down to experience every drop of family and friends. I am ready to see how beautiful my mom looks with gray hair and how much my dad still swoons over her.

I am ready to live my life like I am aging into wisdom and stability. I am ready to love life like I am a non-perishable item.