Points2Ponder

       "Happy Empty Nesters... but Oh The Fifties!"

                                     Points2Ponder

                                                                                                       By Alan P. Scaglone

 Ohhhh The Fifties!

Not the era…
The time of life!
They call this middle age?
Hmmm? You livin’ to 100?

 Points2Ponder  Remember when you felt invincible and immortal? Nothing slowed you down or changed your plans—you were Superman!

I am fifty-three, and I already notice differences in this decade than in my forties.

Allow me to point out just a few:
Less weddings….more funerals.
Seriously, it just seems like all of the “old timers” are dying off, leaving us their shoes to fill.
Haven’t you looked at the news and said—“WOW! He died? I remember when…” and you just fill in the blank.
Just seems like all the good actors, good comedians, good singers—yes, I know I sound old just saying that, but..it’s true!
They are dying and no one is taking up the slack. At least, no one that I would listen to!
And another thing…
Everyone is headed to the hospital for something.
Starts out as a bump… then the bump gets a little bigger…
Next thing you know, there’s a guy in the emergency room telling you they have to “biopsy” your bump!
Remember when a bump was just a bump, and you ignored it…and it went away?
Not anymore—we have to have every “bump” checked out!
Why? We know why…because it “could” be something else—and we are scared out our mind that it will be.
All the statistics on heart attack, cancer, diabetes, alzheimer’s…
Where you used to ignore, suddenly, you are paying close attention.
Because you know…it’s this time of life when you start falling into one of those categories.
Hopefully, a “survivor of…” one of those categories.
And what about your vacations?
It’s that “empty nester’s dream” – to finally go where you have always dreamt of going.
For us…it’s Italy!
We’ve always wanted to go. We sent our daughter when she graduated from college.
Always hoped she would return the favor! Hey, a guy can hope, can’t he?
Just to have one of our kids doing well enough that they say “For all the good you did, all the sacrifices you made for me—allow me to …”
I know, I know…but remember, I am a dreamer!
But instead of all of those dream vacations…
I am spending my vacation days making doctor’s appointments.
And hoping I have “enough” to handle that “unexpected” time out of work due to a bump that turns into something more!
And then there’s the news…
Seems like if it’s not bad news, it’s no news at all.
I am “that” guy—the one you call when you need a prayer partner!
I am honored to be that guy—but, as my best friend said today, I do “feel” their pain and take on their burden, and so much of it is just so tragic.
Right now, we know of a 41 year old man who is slowly dying, having each appendage eaten up with gangrene and then amputated.
He is waiting for a kidney that…is never coming because…he just got diagnosed with VRE, a sister to MRSA! So, he is now disqualified for a transplant.
We know that, without a miracle from the Lord, this man will die.
And sometimes, I just have to ask…”Why Lord, why?”
Last year, my dearest friend went to the hospital with a bout of diverticulitis…and 30 days later, 3 operations later, she finally gets sent home to recuperate.
We didn’t see that coming either!
Oh the Fifties!
Wish it were poodle skirts, greased back hair and soda fountain drinks..
And not… unexpected illness, untimely death and just bad news.
Don’t worry reader…I’ll be back to my usual self come Sunday..
But today…I miss feeling immortal!!!

I’m Just… Reflecting on -- Life!

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