The Life Cycle

Life is funny and full of surprises. Babies are born and need constant care from their caregivers. They are dependent on others. Gradually, they become adults and grow more independent throughout life. As adults reach their sixties, the life cycle appears to begin to reverse. This may not be true of everyone sixty and older, but as humans age, there may be a greater need for help simply because we are tired and no longer able to do things like we did in our twenties, thirties, and forties.

As I watch my granddaughters, I know that I need to savor every moment. Sometimes, I get really worn out, but in my head, I tell myself that they are growing up and will not be this little forever. I watch their parents work their tails off, having very little time to spend with them. I have told them that this era will not last forever and that they had better not blink. These small children will be adults before we know it. The chatter and squealing in the house will become a deafening silence that yearns for the times that were so chaotic.

This world is spinning like never before in my life. Things move so fast. Communication is instant. Sometimes, I wish we could go back in time and drink from the garden hose, play ball in the backyard, and hear my grandma singing hymns as she played the piano with the windows open next door. Family does not mean the same thing as it used to back in the day. We can no longer assume that everyone will be available for a Sunday dinner at the extended family table. Everyone is going in a what seems like a million directions.

When I retired a year ago, I definitely had an adjustment to this new life of mine. I was used to multitasking every single day. Quick decisions needed to be made. Another person needed this or that. Then another asked me to talk with one of her students. Two parents needed to talk to me immediately. The fire drill was in the midst of this hour. It was busy, but I loved it. Nowadays, I find myself much calmer.

I am doing reasonably well at being independent so far, despite my late sixties. My knees hurt. My muscles ache depending on whether I lifted the youngest granddaughter. Sometimes I feel exhausted. As I know, life will get more difficult the longer I live. I have witnessed two parents with dementia and one with cancer, including my in-laws. They were in their early eighties when they passed. One parent with dementia lived with us during his last year on Earth. He was imagining things when he moved in with us and had lost a lot of his memory, except for memories of his time working at the local manufacturing plant. He progressively lost his ability to walk, eat, and perform bodily functions. He also did not know who we were by the end. This is what reminded me of how life is a cycle. Everyone needs to try to keep moving and enjoy life until they can no longer do so. Don’t take your life for granted.

Later…