My grandmother and grandfather have both been great examples on how you look forward even moderate old age. My grandmother is the type of women who simply cares too much about everything. She simply cannot let someone down when she knows that she is able to take upon herself regardless off her personal wants and needs. Need a volunteer to bring a casserole for the reunion dinner, don’t worry Diana’s got it. “Oh, you need a ride to Mayo Clinic tomorrow Clarice? I wasn’t doing anything anyways, I can drive you.” “My dear friends here at this meeting, I would just like to personally tell you that my husband Earl and I will be moving to Northfield, MN. Yes indeed, that means that I will no longer be able to head the committee that handles public relations, outreach and press control for the middle aged women kazoo ensemble, it saddens me deeply.” If you have not guessed it my grandmother would take on the job of being the head of the committee that deals with the kazoo ensemble’s publicity as well as probably playing in it if she wasn’t already. Now along with being the volunteer go to woman she likes making lists and plans. If she could she would make lists and plans for the whole town of Winona. But by always listing things and making to-does it takes out the fun and excitement of the uncertain future. My grandmother has such a big heart and is helping so many people. She making sure that ends meet where in some cases they may not but by helping to such an extent that the essence of truly living is lost. She reminisces sometimes on past trips to Puerto Rico and Los Angeles and wishes that she had the time and money to travel again like they once did. But we often as humans get so caught up in the opportunities to join social groups that meet weekly and volunteer at our church that we get too tied down to simply get up, leave and experience what is offered in the simplicity of life.
My grandfather is practically the exact opposite of my grandmother, instead of embracing the freedom of retirement head on by now being able to plan, help and navigate my grandfather would much rather let life be experienced everywhere around him and later get news of the great things that are happening. He told me earlier this evening that he does want to go to the local senior center and hear about someone else’s gripes and pains or hear a historical presentation of the local library. He also does not want to join an elderly gentleman’s group that meets Tuesday nights at church. In fundamental nature he basically told me that in his view going to some building with a bunch of other senior citizens being senior citizens does not fit into his ideal day. In a way my grandfather does not want to admit or proclaim “Yes, everyone I Mike from MN am a senior citizen and like doing senior citizen activities.” The ideal day for my grandfather would be to wake up quite early, read three different newspapers, cut the grass, make a sandwich and eat it while standing up, go to the bar have a few drinks, watch some sports and then hit the hay early. Regardless if you have a sudden urge for Italian and breadsticks and a gift certificate to Olive Garden in Lacrosse, unless it was planned in advance it does not seems so logical to him. Things need to be sequential, and thought out. Now it if funny that both my grandparents share this quality but in such different ways. It is possible that if my grandmother exceeds her usual average number of lists for him in a day he may riot in a very gentlemen type of way. When every day becomes looking like every other day you know that normalcy and a routine way of life are forcing you to miss out on the excitement from being simply sporadic in though, action and deed.
When I grow older I hope to begin using the freedom of time to my advantage. I hope I will try new things with no reservations in mind. I want to travel to places I have never got the chance to go regardless of costs even if it takes backpacking, hitchhiking rides or hopping buses. I wish that I will one day stumble upon the right balance between commitment, obligations and downtime. Even when my generation will no longer be the frontrunner in society I hope to stay current and knowledgeable in the world I live in. When the time comes that it seems much easier to forgo my morals and values, I trust that I will remember that those beliefs make up who I am today and the minute I begin to conform is the minute that I become not an individual but a human.
Song of the day - First Day of My Life by the Bright Eyes
"A man is not old, until regrets take the place of dreams." - John Barrymore
