What Were My Parents Doing at My Age?

I have thought about how my parents were at my age before this question came up. My dad passed away at the age of 46 when I was 22, so he was not here at my ripe age of 68. I’m sure he would have been working 24/7 farming. My mother was sitting in the rocking chair at home after retiring from the VA, doing needlework. She was a desk clerk, and had been working there since a year or so after my dad’s passing. Mother was starting to show signs of dementia/Alzheimer’s at 68. We did not have a close relationship at all for many reasons. I was working then as a teacher, being about three years shy of becoming a principal. I threw myself into my work because being in the classroom with those little nine-year-olds truly made me happy.

I think mother is the reason I keep going with my lifelong learning. I want to keep my mind busy and blossoming, even though I read the other day that the peak of our brains happens in our 20s and decreases each decade, so at this point, I probably only have about half of my mind that I once had. It’s important to stay active and busy as we age.

I keep telling myself I need to get to the next pickleball session, but I still haven’t been able to make it with all this crazy weather. I need to force myself to go. I know that it is fun and once I am there I enjoy it. The endorphins make me feel happier. This is my goal for next Monday.

Later…