Skip to main content

Aging sucks.....or does it?


Upon first thought,
watching a parent age sucks.
Unnoticeable at first.
A bit of a stoop,
some creaking in the knees,
whitening of the hair.

The doctor’s visits begin,
as do the pills
One for high blood pressure,
another to thin the blood,
and a handful of vitamins to top it off.

The signs are there,
but it is easier to see him as he has always been.
My father,
a pillar of strength.
Until my pillar was knocked off-kilter.

A simple surgery
and the mortality of my father
looked me square in the eye
when the drugs took hold of his brain.
Amidst his fidgeting and confusion,
I realized…AGING SUCKS!

And then….enlightenment
dawned upon me….AGING IS BEAUTIFUL
Wrinkles tell of smiles while
silver hair speaks a life of memories.
Knees creaky after years of
kneeling in prayer,
offering up a lap, and
climbing up the stairs for one more kiss goodnight.

Almost forty-eight years of memories
nestled in my heart.
Memories of my father.
Taking us to church each Sunday
Building and fixing things
Inviting me to sing with him
Taking family road trips to Massachusetts
Lecturing my boyfriends about how to treat me
Driving me to college – the first time
Welcoming me back home
Hugging me when given news of my out-of-wedlock pregnancy
Welcoming me home again – this time with a baby
Calming my baby when I could not
Cheering me on through college
Performing my marriage ceremony
Moving us from town to town
Chauffeuring me to my receive my award
Hugging my children
Visiting us in Colorado and North Carolina
Meeting my students
Hiking around the lake
Supporting me being me
Loving and accepting everyone


My list of memories is one of many.
Hundreds of others have their own
memories of my dad.


The memories continue to grow
as I continue to watch him age.
It is not all easy to observe,
but all part of who he is -
A man with so much more to aging to do.

I love you, Dad!

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 29, 2011 at 1:02 PM

    Oh Mandie you made me cry too. I know it is hard to watch your parents getting older. I am sending you hugs--wish I was there in person to give them to you. Yes your dad will cry when he read this BUT it is a tribute to him and I am sure he will know that and appreciate you writing it. I love you. Marguerite

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 29, 2011 at 9:49 PM

    Thanks for that Mandie.
    I watched, first my Dad, then Mom, and finally my Step Mother all age and pass.
    Now I see it in myself and my wonderful wife; that aging thing.
    Yes, the pills and hospital stays for this or that. The aching joints, not having the stamina, or recovering as quickly sucks, but there's something else there too.
    A comfort with you life, a wisdom that I wouldn't give up for youth.
    I see it in your Mom and your Dad, and I think you see it too!
    Dennis Cherry-

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Hardest One Yet

 From the time I began this blog, I made the conscious choice that I would be honest and open in the moment – whatever is going on. For the most part, I have done that.  After struggling about whether to write about this particular challenge (let alone share it), I chose to do the uncomfortable and do both – write and share. “Your certification has not even been processed yet. Probably won’t happen until at least the middle of January.”  I took a deep breath as I heard those words a couple weeks ago and I realized what that meant. Christmas would look very different than originally planned. The retroactive pay that Santa was counting on to make the holiday something special for our family would not be coming. I took a deep breath as I hung up the phone and walked out of my classroom, despair bombarding the hope and excitement of the upcoming holiday. A tornado of thoughts began whirling in my head as I walked to the guidance office. Playing with our budget in my ...
7 comments
Read more

Letting Go

While in Pueblo you were parents of my students, but more importantly, my friends. After all, McClelland is a family. We talked, joked, and confided in each other like sisters do. I left for summer looking forward to the change I would find upon my return. That year instead of excitement, the new school year brought chastisement, accusations, and allegations with no chance to speak. People I thought of as friends chased away my exhilaration. I put a smile on my face, determination in my stride, and met the school year head on - complete with demeaning, inept, and judgmental challenges that came my way. My team one of strength, bravery and courage holding me up with each new blow. As the fall turned into winter, I overcame distrust and welcomed you in again. Smiles, laughter, and honesty filled the year. When it was time for me to move on, you sent me on my way with warm wishes and promises to keep in touch. I said goodbye and began my new adventure. Whispers of your relief abou...
3 comments
Read more