It's only when you are older that you start to realise how lucky you are. I was listening to a radio programme on Radio 5 Live today about two lads that had to look after their Dad who had Alzheimer's. Their Father was quite young when he got this debilitating disease. They were just teenagers when they were thrown into being carers. Their Mother was not living with them at the time so it was down to the lads to do everything for him as he deteriorated.
When I look back at my life, I realise just how good it has been. I am over sixty and I still have both my parents and they still live in their own home. They are in their late eighties now and have never really suffered any health problems that were serious enough to cause much concern. They are still active and my Father still drives a car. He only gave up towing a caravan last year but retains the caravan as a static on a nearby site.
Of course they are becoming frail and both have had falls recently. My Father was pulled over by his over exuberant dog. A neighbour brought him home and it appeared that he had not broken anything. A hospital trip should have been on the agenda but he was not having any of it. He looked like he'd been beaten up for a couple of weeks.
Rather than take it for granted, I now realise that I must try to make the most of what limited time I have left with my parents. My Mother is showing early signs of Alzheimer's so time is not on our side. I had been unable to visit them for eleven months before my last visit and the signs of deterioration in them both was evident. I left it far too long but life can be difficult with work and lack of money getting in the way.
I have to make up for this somehow and this year at least, I must put more effort into visiting them before it's too late. If you have both your parents, remember they are precious and don't leave it too long before you visit them. When you look forward it seems that it's a long time but when you look back, you will find it has passed in a flash and that's why the saying makes so much sense; "life is short".
